


Lost Inside

by Lexys23



Series: Lost Inside [1]
Category: Fifth Harmony (Band)
Genre: Child Abuse, F/F, Little Hailee Steinfeld, Little Lauren Jauregui, Little Lucy Vives, M/M, Multi, Non-Sexual Age Play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-07-06 01:51:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 97
Words: 123,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15876024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexys23/pseuds/Lexys23
Summary: All Lauren had was the box over her head and the wet bread on the ground. All she wanted was a family to call her own.





	1. Prologue

She was huddled under a cardboard box. Her arms wrapped around her legs, as she shook from the cold. She whimpered as she heard a rumble from the thunder. She slowly rocked herself. She could feel her clothes stick to her body from the sogginess. The box around her was wet, barely being kept up. The top of the box was draped over her head. She continued to hum when the rumble ended.

She could hear screams and footsteps and car motors and honks from where she was. She looked down the alley to see people just pass by, living their lives, while she sat there. With nothing. None of them knew.

She looked down at the wet piece of bread that someone had given to her, feeling pity for her. She had been living off that piece of bread for the last two days, and hoped she could find more food before it was completely gone.

There was another rumble. She flinched and covered her ears, humming louder. She rocked her body, trying to find a way to distract herself.

She was so cold. She was so hungry. She was so scared.

She just wanted to go home.

 


	2. Found

Lauren clenched her eyes shut when she saw the flash in the sky. It was really scaring her. She let out a cough. The cough had hurt her chest. She let out a whine. Her stomach growled. She looked over at the piece of bread, and grabbed it. Unfortunately, it was too soggy and it just dissolved in her hands.

Lauren bit her lip, as her eyes filled with tears. She was hungry. She was really hungry, and the only food she had was gone. Her body shook from the cold, and from the sadness she was feeling.

Soon enough, her tears mixed with rain as it streamed down her face.

Scared, she curled up under the box and tried to sleep. She just hoped she'd be able to find food when the sun came back up.

She just hoped.

-

"Yeah, but the wedding is soon," Camila said, as she walked with Ally. Her arms felt like they were going to fall off from all the bags that she was carrying. But her cousin was going to get married soon, and she'd be damned if she didn't help.

Ally laughed. "I can't believe it's going to be soon."

Camila smiled. She looked down the alley behind Ally and gasped. She could see a small figure lying down under a wet box. The box didn't even cover the whole body. That wasn't what caught Camila's attention. As much as it sucked, there were a lot of homeless people. No, what caught her attention was the fact that it looked like a kid. And she knew no kid should be sleeping outside, especially after the storm they just had.

Camila walked into the alleyway, ignoring the calls from her cousin. She stopped when she was in front of the figure. She could see the girl better. She looked small, unhealthy small. Her body was trembling, and her skin was a sickly pale color.

She looked around, but saw nothing that seemed to belong to the girl.

"Mila, what's going on?" Ally asked, stopping next to the other girl.

Camila looked up at Ally. "I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone."

Ally looked over at the girl and gasped.

The gasp seemed to wake the girl up. Camila watched as she opened her eyes. She slowly inched closer to the girl, but frowned when the green eyed girl moved away.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," Camila whispered, giving her a smile.

The girl whined. She coughed, and Camila flinched. It sounded like the type of coughs that hurt your throat. The girl let out a whimper.

The girl looked like a wet puppy, and Camila felt the need to make sure she got better. She looked over at Ally, to see the same look on her face.

"Are you hungry?" Camila asked, looking through her bag.

All she got was a small whine as an answer. She got the bag of Chips Ahoy and took out a cookie. She extended her hand, offering it to the other girl. Ally gave her a look.

The girl looked from the cookie to Camila's face. With shaking hands, she reached over and grabbed it.

"'nk ou," she whispered, taking a small bite from the cookie. She ate half the cookie and then placed it on the cardboard next to her. "'ader."

"For later? No honey, you can have more," Camila said, frowning.

"'ly?" the girl questioned, her eyes widening.

Camila nodded. She watched at the girl grabbed the cookie and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

The girl started to cough again. Camila reached over to comfort her, but the girl flinched away.

"'o." She shook her head.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to make sure you are okay. Can you let me do that?" Camila asked.

The girl looked from Camila to Ally and then back to Camila. "'ay."

Camila reached over and gently touched the girl's forehead. She turned to Ally. "She's really warm."

"I think we should take her to the hospital. Being out in the rain couldn't have been good for her," Ally whispered.

The girl slowly reached over to grab another cookie. Camila smiled. "I'm Camila, and this is Ally, can you tell us your name?"

The girl frowned. She shrugged.

"What do your parents call you?" Ally asked, crouching next to the girl.

"'oopid 'irl," the girl whispered, shoving another cookie into her mouth.

Camila stood up, feeling anger course through her veins. She turned to Ally. "I'll go get the car."

Ally nodded.

-

It took some coaxing, but they were able to get the girl to get into the car. Camila had been driving. Ally and the girl were in the backseat. She rubbed the coughing girl's back.

"She's getting worse," Ally told Camila, who sped up a little. She looked down at the girl. "It's okay. We are going somewhere that will make you feel better."

The girl whined.

Ally knew what Camila felt. She knew that she just had to protect the girl. She looked so innocent, and sweet. She didn't know how long she had been out there, but it worried her. She had seen the dissolved bread, and knew that she hadn't eaten. She was proud of Camila and how she treated the girl.

Camila parked the car. She quickly rushed to the backseat and opened the door. Ally helped put the girl into Camila's arms. Camila gave Ally her keys and took the girl into the hospital.

Ally locked the car and followed Camila into the building. She watched as nurses and doctors rushed to them with a gurney and had Camila place the girl into the moving bed.

The doctor turned to the pair of cousins. "We found her. She's really sick and was out in the rain for sometime."

"Lauren?" a voice said from behind.

Ally turned to see a doctor standing behind her. She looked at the name on her coat.  _Dr. Lovato._

"Where are her parents?"

"You know who that is?"

"Lauren Jauregui, she's my neighbor," the doctor said, pointing to the girl. "Her parents said she ran away."

Ally looked at the directions the girl,  _Lauren_ _,_ was being taken.

Dr. Lovato was paged, and she left to deal with her patient, but told Ally and Camila that she would be back to check on the other girl.

Ally wanted answers. "I have to call Mani and tell her where we are. I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone here."

Camila nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Hopefully we can find out more. I think she's going to need us."

"And we are going to be here."

 


	3. Cookie

Ally felt someone shake her. She groaned, opening her eyes. She sat up, and looked around. She smiled, seeing her fiancée standing in front of her. She smiled.

"Hi," Ally whispered.

Normani leaned in and kissed her gently against her lips. She sat down on the chair next to the shorter girl's.

"Where is Dinah? And Camila?"

"They went to get some lunch. Mila was hungry, you know her," Normani said, reaching over and grabbing Ally's hand. "So want to tell me what is going on?"

Ally sighed. "Mila and I were shopping, when she saw her. Mani, the girl was so, she was living off wet bread. And she was sick. We had to bring her. She's not, I don't think she's like us," Ally said, feeling all the emotions she was feeling earlier.

"Who is she?"

"All I know is that her name is Lauren Jauregui," Ally whispered, rubbing her face. She leaned over and curled up in Normani's side.

The taller girl wrapped her arm around the girl and held her close.

-

Demi started at the group. The four hadn't left since arriving. They were all huddled up. Demi sighed and walked up to them. The two that bought Lauren in, stood up. They gave her a smile.

"Hello," Demi said, extending her hand.

The shorter of the two shook her hand. "Hi. I'm Ally, these are Camila, Normani and Dinah."

"I'm Demi."

The five women stood there, in an awkward silence. No one knew where to start.

Ally took a deep breath. "Y-you said you were Lauren's neighbor. She wouldn't tell us anything. She wasn't able to pronounce things."

Demi nodded her head. "Yeah. I wasn't her neighbor for long. It was when I was younger. But I can't forget her. I don't know much about anything else."

"But you said she  _was_  your neighbor, and her parents said she ran away."

"I was in a hurry, I said what I thought. But I see do Lauren's mother every once in a while. She comes here for her check ups and I always ask about Lauren. She told me Lauren ran away and that they were trying to get her back."

"How old is she?" Camila asked, frowning.

"Sixteen," Demi said, nodding her head. "You said Lauren couldn't pronounce things, what do you mean by that?"

"She was talking like a baby."

Demi frowned. She tried to remember if Lauren had some sort of speech problem. Whenever she saw Lauren, the young girl didn't really talk. She'd just point. Demi really thought about it, and realized that there was something wrong with the girl.

"She never really talked when I knew her. But there was something weird about her." Demi's pager went off again. She looked down, seeing that a patient needed her. "I have to go. I'll visit again."

The girls nodded. Demi left to deal with her patient.

-

Dinah knew little to nothing about this Lauren. All she knew was that Camila and Ally were attached. And once those two were attached, it was over.

A doctor started to walk towards them. Ally and Camila stood up once again. Dinah and Normani stood behind them.

The doctor told them how Lauren was on the verge of pneumonia. He told them how Lauren was malnourished. He told them Lauren was going to be okay and that she was sleeping at the moment. He told them that he wanted to have a psychiatrist talk to Lauren when she woke up.

He told them how they had called child services, because Lauren was underage. He said there were signs of child abuse and that Lauren's parents were going to be checked out.

"C-can we talk to the social worker?" Ally asked, frowning.

Dinah looked over, wondering what was running through her head. She looked over at the doctor.

"I'm sure you are going to be able to do that. If you want, you can go to her room."

Dinah nodded and followed the other girls into the room.

She entered the hospital room and looked at the girl in the bed. "This is Lauren?"

Ally and Camila nodded. The two sat on either side of the girl. Normani sat next to her fiancée, and Dinah went to move next to Camila. She leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek.

Camila smiled and connected their lips together.

There was a small whine. Dinah moved away to look at the small body in the bed. She watched as Lauren opened her eyes.

Dinah knew then and there. She knew what made Ally and Camila so attached. Seeing those innocence filled green eyes, she herself was attached. She looked up at Normani to see a smile on her face, she was hooked too.

She turned to Lauren, who seemed to be more lucid. She looked around and smiled.

"'wwy, 'amiwa," she said, reaching over. Her arms were bare, and were painted with bruises.

"Hey sweetie," Ally whispered, reaching over and grabbed one arm, while Camila grabbed the other.

"'eel, 'edder," Lauren said, nodding slightly. "'ookie?"

Dinah watched as Camila reached into her bag and grabbed a packet of Chips Ahoy. She opened it and handed one to Lauren, who used both hands to eat.

Dinah felt the urge to  _aww_ , but didn't want to embarrass the girl.

"Lauren," Camila said softly, waiting for the girl to look at her. She looked over, her eyebrows arched. "Meet our friends, Normani and Dinah."

Dinah gave a small wave. "Hey Lauren."

"'nah? 'amani?" Lauren said, a question in her voice.

Dinah laughed and nodded.

Lauren stared at Dinah for a second. She then looked down at the half eaten cookie. She shoved the whole thing into her mouth. She turned to Camila. "Pee?"

Camila smiled and gave her another cookie.

Dinah could already see her future with the girl.

-

The psychiatrist closed the door and turned to the girls. "Well, I wasn't able to get much out of her. Usually, in cases like these, people have two version of themselves, a young and older one. But it seems like Lauren just has a young version of herself. We can't know everything without her parents," she said.

Normani watched everyone nod. Normani knew about Age Play. It was a guilty pleasure. She liked reading fanfiction, and some even had that. And she now knew that there was no Big Lauren, just Little Lauren. She hoped she could put her knowledge to the test.

The girls walked back into the room and looked at the sleeping girl. Her thumb was in her mouth.

The girls sat there, talking. None of them wanted to leave. It wasn't long until another woman knocked on the door. They all stood up and turned to her.

She introduced herself as the social worker and that she was in charge of Lauren's case. She told them that her parents were being investigated at the moment.

"What's going to happen to Lauren while that is happening?" Dinah asked, frowning.

The social worker sighed. "She'll have to go to a group home. She is underage."

"B-but she can't," Camila exclaimed.

"It's the way it has to be."

Normani looked at the devastated looks on the other girl's faces. She turned to the social worker. "We want to talk to you about taking Lauren home with us," she said, giving a firm nod.


	4. Home

 

It took some convincing, but they were able to get the social worker to let them  _keep_  Lauren. They argues that Lauren was going to need special attention, the type that she was not going to get in a foster home.

Lauren shot up, tears in her eyes. She started to cry. All four girls turned to her, not sure what was going on.

Ally, being the oldest of the four, rushed to Lauren. She placed her hand on the girl's back, but the young girl flinched.

"'o! 'owwy," she cried, shaking her head.

"What's wrong?" Camila asked, from the other side of the girl.

Lauren shook her head. Her heart monitor started to speed up.

"We have to calm her down," Dinah said, confused.

Normani watched what was going on. She slowly walked up to Lauren. She signaled for the other girls to move back. She turned to the girl. "Can you look at me, Laur," Normani whispered, waiting for the girl to look up at her. Once she did, Normani smiled. "Did you pee yourself?"

Lauren cried harder. "I 'owwy."

"No, it's okay. We're not mad."

"'ommy 'id. 'o 'id?"

It took a second for Normani to decipher that, but once she did, she shook her head. "No. We're not going to hit you. You can't control yourself. Do you think you can stop crying? We don't want you to get sick."

Lauren nodded her head. She reached for Normani. The other girl moved and wrapped her arms around the younger girl. "You're going to be okay."

She gave Camila and Dinah a look. Both girls got the message and walked out. Normani turned to the social worker, who seemed to be texting on her phone.

Lauren looked up at Normani. "'ookie?"

Normani laughed. "How about real food?"

"'en ookie?"

"And then cookie," Normani whispered, pressing her lips on the sick girl's head.

Ally got the message and went to get some food for them.

"S'ee?"

"Yes, sleep. When you wake up, we'll have new clothes and food for you. And more cookies."

"'ay. 'nk 'ou."

Normani grinned. She really wanted to take Lauren home. They had to.

-

"We're home," Dinah said, carrying the sixteen year old. Lauren had gotten the okay from the hospital, and the other girl's were more than happy to take her home. Lauren also started to wear diapers. Normani had told them to buy some with a look on her face, but they didn't put it on her until they were sure the girl was unable to control her bladder. Lauren was happy about the fact that she didn't have to wet the hospital bed anymore.

The social worker walking behind them. She wrote on her notebook, behind the girls. They entered the house and placed Lauren on her feet, on the ground. Lauren looked around.

"'ome?" Lauren asked, looking up at Dinah.

"Yeah. If the lady behind us says this can be your home."

Lauren turned to look at the woman behind her. "'o 'ome? 'ome pee. Uh, 'day he'e."

Ally let out a giggle. She turned to Dinah. "You did not do that."

Dinah laughed. She wasn't going to deny nor confirm the fact that she used Lauren in that away.

The social worker let out a small laugh. "How about we see the rest of the house before anything is set?"

"'ay. 'ookie?"

"We bought a whole lot, just for you," Camila said, grinning.

"'ly? One pee?"

Dinah gasped. It was the first full word Lauren had said. Lauren's delayed speech had been sort of a challenge to three out of the four girls. For some strange reason, Normani knew what was going on. It was like she had studied it.

"Go with Dinah to the kitchen while we show this lovely lady the rest of the house. We'll be back," Ally told the girl.

Lauren nodded and reached over to grab Dinah's hand. She followed the girl into the kitchen. Dinah helped Lauren sit on an island chairs. The younger of the two kicked her legs, giggling. She looked up at Dinah. "ookie? Pee?"

Dinah nodded. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Lauren frowned, tilting her head.

"Drink, you know," Dinah said, showing an example of her drinking out of an invisible cup.

Lauren pointed to the sink.

Dinah nodded her head. "Do you want milk, juice?"

Lauren shrugged. She just watched as Dinah got her food. Once Lauren's cookies and cup of milk was in front of her, Dinah sat down next to her. She watched Lauren pick up one cookie. Dinah was not expecting Lauren to hand her a cookie.

"Ead 'oo." Lauren grabbed another cookie and started to eat it. Dinah ate the cookie, finishing it pretty quick. Lauren grabbed the plate of cookies and moved it so it was in between the two of them.

Dinah's heart swelled at the girl. She placed a kiss on the girl's head. "You are too cute."

Lauren looked at Dinah for a second, but turned back to her cookies.

Dinah laughed, shaking her head. The girl was going to change their lives for the better.

-

Everyone sat around the living room. Lauren's attention was on the television while the adults talked.

"Okay, so I have your information. Allyson Brooke Hernandez, age 28, writer, Normani Kordei Hamilton, age 27, dance teacher, engaged. Karla-"

"Camila. I prefer Camila."

"Karla  _Camila_  Cabello Estrabao, age 24, waitress, and Dinah Jane Hansen, age 23, school teacher. You seem to have stable careers, mostly."

Camila frowned. Everyone else was doing what they wanted to do, but her. She wanted to make music, but it was hard. She waitressed to help pay for things. It wasn't her fault.

"You'll be in charge of Lauren-"

"What's her full name? Birthday?" Ally asked, frowning.

"Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado. Born June 27, 2000."

The social worker went over their information. She told them that she was going to check on them in two weeks. And she gave them Lauren's file.

"Clara and Michael Jauregui, Lauren's parents. When checking on them, they found out how bad Lauren's living situation was. She lived in the attic. Her parents kept her from having outside contact and didn't interact with her, which is why she doesn't talk well. It's been bad since she was a few months old. They never allowed her to grow up. We did find diapers and pacifiers, so they took care of her, not how they were supposed to."

"What's going to happen to them?"

"They were arrested for child abuse. How they want to go about it will be on them. But they are not getting Lauren back."

The social worker then gave them her phone number and told them to call if they needed anything. She left, leaving them alone with Lauren.

Camila looked at the girl, who's eyes were shining from the television show. She saw her yawn.

"Are you sleepy?" Camila asked, turning her attention to the girl.

Lauren nodded. She stuck her thumb into her mouth. Camila gently took Lauren's thumb from her mouth. She shook her head. "Let's go to bed, right?"

Lauren nodded. She got off the couch and followed Camila to the room. It was just a guest room. They were planning on changing it into a room for Lauren. They just hadn't had time to shop.

Camila lead Lauren to the bed and tucked her in. She was about to leave, when Lauren grabbed her hand. "'day?"

Camila smiled and nodded. She laid with Lauren on the bed. The younger girl curled up on her side and fell asleep. Camila took out her phone and texted Dinah, telling her that they should go shopping for Lauren.

She laid there, stroking the girl's hair, when she heard the front door open and close. She smiled, closing her eyes and falling asleep as well.


	5. Lion King

"'amiwa," she heard as her body shook. Camila let out a groan and opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw a pair of green eyes staring at her. "'amiwa, 'ookie? Wed'd."

"Well let's get you changed. Maybe we can eat more than cookies?"

Lauren nodded. "'ay."

Camila got a diaper from the corner of the room and laid Lauren down. She started to get to work, having changed her sister's diaper when her parents were busy, she knew what to do.

Lauren stuck her thumb into her mouth and stared at Camila.

"Camila is a mouth full, isn't it?" Camila asked, taking her attention from what she was doing to look at Lauren. "You can shorten it, like Mila, or Cami, or Camzi, ooh, how about Camz?"

Lauren blinked. "'amzzz?"

Camila laughed. "Yes. Camzzz. Draw out the 'z'." She started to clean Lauren up, humming a song.

Lauren started to hum with her. "'wwy?"

"Ah-lly."

"Ahh-wwy."

"Mani."

"Mani."

"DJ."

"DJ."

Camila taped up the diaper and pulled Lauren into her arms. "You are so smart."

The younger girl giggled. She nodded her head. "'mawt."

Camila kissed her cheek. She carried her into the kitchen.

"Would you like some waffles with bananas?"

"'anas?"

" _Bananas._ "

"'ananananas?"

Camila laughed and shook her head. Camila prepared the food while Lauren watched.

"'amzzz," the younger girl called. Camila looked over to see Lauren pointing to the television. "On?"

"We'll watch a movie after lunch, deal?"

"'eal."

Camila placed the plate in front of the younger girl. She grabbed hers and sat down next to her. Lauren didn't start eating until Camila started hers. Lauren used her hands as she ripped pieces and shoved them into her mouth.

"amzzz, 'ood."

"Good? Why thank you. Maybe next time, you can help me."

Lauren gave Camila a firm nod and continued to eat her food.

-

Ally looked at the wall of stuffed animals. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She looked down to see a message from Camila. She opened it and grinned.

Lauren was sitting at the dinner table, her face smeared with melted chocolate from her cookies. She stared into the camera with wide green eyes. She awed, before replying to Camila.

 _[Ally:]_  
I want to get her a teddy bear. What do you think I should get her?

 _[Camila:]_  
We are watching the Lion King and she seems to love Nala. Maybe her?

 _[Ally:]_  
Okay. Has she been giving you any problems?

 _[Camila:]_  
You're talking about Lo right? The girl doesn't know the meaning of trouble.

Ally laughed at the message. Camila was correct. Lauren was such a sweetheart. Dinah had told the girls about Lauren sharing her cookies with her.

 _[Ally:]_  
Okay then. We'll be home soon.

She grabbed the Nala stuffed lion and went to check out. She smiled, thinking of the girl in question. She hadn't known Lauren for longer than four days, and she was already falling in love with her. She knew she wanted to keep Lauren in her life.

Each girl got last minute things before meeting at the car. Once the car was packed, they drove home. They had made multiple trips to load up the car, and knew that they would need Camila's help to carry things back into the house.

Carrying the little things first, they entered the house. They found Lauren and Camila cuddling on the couch. The older of the two, asleep, while the other one was watching the second Lion King movie.  _Simba's Pride_  if Ally remembered correctly.

Lauren looked over and smiled when she saw the three girls. She shook Camila's shoulder.

"'amzzz, up."

"Five more minutes."

"'amzzz, 'ome. 'ome 'amzzz."

Camila groaned. "I'm up." She looked over at the doorway to see the three girls. "Oh, hey guys. Need help?"

Lauren looked at Ally. "I 'elp 'oo?"

"Sure, how about you keep the door open for us. We'll be walking back and forth."

"'ay, me 'elp."

Ally grinned and walked into the house. She placed her bags in the living room, which the other girls did too. She then walked out.

What happened next was so adorable, she almost died.

When Ally walked back in, she heard Lauren greet her.

"'awwo, 'o, uh, 'allo Ah-wwy."

Dinah walked in.

"'allo DJ."

Normani.

"'allo Mani."

Camila.

"'allo 'amz."

Ally walked back out.

"Bye bye Ah-wwy."

And so on. It happened every time each girl entered and each time they walked out.

Once they were done, Dinah grabbed the girl and carried her into the living room. Lauren was a giggling mess.

Ally wondered how the girl, who lived in an attic, who was abused, who was treated horribly, could be so trusting, so sweet, so innocent. Ally was grateful for the adorableness that was Lauren, but she couldn't help and wonder.

"Do you want to see what we bought?" Normani asked, as they all sat around the floor in the living room.

"'es pee."

Normani grabbed the closest bag and pushed it towards the girl. Lauren opened the bag and took out the stuffed Nala. She looked from the stuffed lion, to the girls, to the television, back to the stuffed lion. She looked up at the girls, tears in her eyes.

"'ow me?"

"Yes, for you. She's all yours."

"Aww my," Lauren whispered, stroking the fur. She hugged it tight, before placing it next to her.

Slowly, Lauren was able to look at the things she had gotten. Normani had gotten up to wash the pacifiers.

She then gave it to Lauren who, quickly placed it in her mouth. She grinned.

Normani stayed with Lauren while the other girls placed what they bought away, Nala and a pacifier being the only things that stayed behind.

Once the things were put away, they all went to watch the movie together. Dinah and Camila were curled up on one couch, while Ally, Normani and Lauren occupied the other one, each girl curled up on either side of Normani.

Dinah and Camila sang along to the music, laughing. Lauren watched in awe.

_Deception_   
_Disgrace_   
_Evil as plain as the scar on his face_

_Deception_   
_(An outrage!)_   
_Disgrace_   
_(For shame!)_

_He asked for trouble the moment he came_   
_He can't change his stripes!_

_Deception_   
_An outrage!_   
_Disgrace_   
_For shame!_

_You know these outsider types!_   
_Evil as plain as the scar on his face!_   
_See you later, agitator_   
_Just leave us alone!_

_Deception_   
_(An outrage!)_   
_Disgrace_   
_(For shame!)_

_Traitor, go back to your own!_   
_He asked for trouble the moment he came_   
_See you later, agitator!_

Dinah and Camila stood up, singing at the top of their lungs.

_Born in greed_   
_Raised in hate_   
_Helpless to defy his fate_   
_Let him run_   
_Let him live_   
_But do not forget_   
_What we cannot forgive_   
  


_And he is not one of us_   
_He has never been one of us_   
_He is not part of us_   
_Not our kind_

_Someone once lied to us_   
_Now we're not so blind_   
_For we know he would do what he's done_   
_And we know that he'll never be one of us_

_He is not one of us_   
_Deception_   
_Disgrace_   
_Deception_   
_Disgrace_   
_Deception..._

Lauren clapped when it was over. She giggled, as the movie continued, but her attention was on the two girls who were tying to catch their breath. "'gain!"

"It's encore," Ally whispered.

Lauren nodded. "on'owe."

Camila and Dinah stood up again. They rewinded the movie and sang the whole thing again, making it more theatric.

After the third time, Lauren turned to Normani.

"'aff?"

"Sure thing," she said, picking the girl up. "Lauren is going to take a bath. Order pizza while we are gone?"

Normani walked away, leaving the other girls alone. Once they heard the door close, they all huddled up.

"How is Normani so good about this? I mean, I get Camila, with Sofi, and I have my brothers and sister. But she doesn't."

Ally shrugged. She had been wondering the same thing.

"We have to find out. It's been bugging me," Camila said, nodding.

"We'll corner her. After Lauren goes to bed. Whatever she did to learn, we have to do," Dinah said.

Ally grabbed her phone. "I want no part of this. I'll call the pizza."

"You are a part of this. Don't you want to learn to take care of Lo?" Camila questioned, a smirk on her face.

"Whatever. I'll ask her later."

"Lo?"

"She needs a nickname too."

"You are so adorable," Dinah whispered, pressing her lips against Camila's. The older of the two giggled, as she kissed back.

Ally rolled her eyes. "I'm going to call. Don't defile the couch while I'm gone."

"I make no promises!"


	6. Pizza God

 

Ally sat down between Dinah and Camila. She said she had one kid to look after, she didn't need to have two more. Dinah obviously huffed, and crossed her arms across her chest. Camila just pouted.

The three women let the movie come to a complete end, they could hear Lauren's giggling and splashing from the bathroom.

Dinah grabbed her phone and started to look through it. She was bored, and Ally wasn't letting her cuddle with Camila. She had looked through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and was in the middle of looking through her contacts when she shot up.

"Who told our parents that we took Lauren in?" Dinah asked, turning to her girlfriend and friend.

Ally and Camila stared at her. Their faced filled with horror.

"I-it's a new revelation. I mean, we just bought her home today. They don't have to know about it the second it happened, right?" Ally asked, her face falling.

"Aunt Patricia isn't going to be happy," Camila muttered, shaking her head.

"Like you haven't told Uncle Alejandro."

"My mom is going to murder us!" Dinah hissed, glared at the girls.

"I think we should do it together. Facetime all of them. Tell them, then leave, let them talk?"

"I love you Mila, I really do. And when we are older, I will marry you, but you are a fucking idiot."

"Hey!"

"Sh, we have to talk about this with Mani when Lo goes to bed."

They nodded. They sat in silence, when they heard a door open and bare feet hitting the floor. They all watched Lauren run to the living room, a huge grin on her face.

"'ean! I 'ean!"

All the girls turned to Normani. She rolled her eyes. "Clean."

They all turned back to Lauren, who nodded. "'es, 'ean."

Dinah opened her arms. Lauren rushed into them. The older girl wrapped her arms around the girl, and moved her so she was on her lap.

"Did you guys order the food?" Normani asked, as she moved and sat down between Ally and Camila. The Cuban-Mexican girl groaned, as she moved out of Normani's ass's way.

Normani laughed and cuddled with Ally, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Camila pouted and crossed her arms across her chest. "I don't have anyone to cuddle with."

Normani looked at Camila. "Too bad."

"Dinah!"

"No."

Lauren giggled, as she curled herself on Dinah's lap.

"DJ, 'ookie?"

"All -" she started, but stopped herself at the glares of the other girl. She gave them a small smile "How about we have dinner first, and then if you are still hungry, you can have cookies?"

"'ay."

"Okay."

"O'ay."

Dinah smiled, hugging the girl. Lauren giggled. She pointed to the television.

"Sure," Dinah whispered, kissing her on the head. She moved to make herself comfortable. Lauren leaned back, grabbing onto Dinah's shirt.

"I'm still lonely here."

"No one asked."

"Rude."

"Sh."

-

Everyone sat around the dinner table, as Dinah opened the pizza box. Lauren looked at it, confused. "Wha dat?"

"Pizza. It's God's gift to the world."

"Camila!"

The girl gave the oldest one a sheepish smile.

Dinah prepared Lauren's place, getting the smallest piece. She placed it in front of the girl.

"'ow?"

"Like this," Camila said, grabbing it with both hands and taking a bite. Lauren nodded, and copied her. She bit into it. Her eyes widened. "'ood! 'o 'ood!"

"Told you," Camila said, a smirk on her face.

"'owe?"

"Finish what's on your plate first," Ally told her.

Lauren gave them a little pout, before nodding. "O'ay."

Dinah watched her as she ate her pizza. There was a small grin on her face as she ate it. She looked around the table, seeing Ally and Normani eating their pizza in a slow pace. She turned to look at Camila, to see her on her fourth slice, eating it like someone was going to steal her food. Dinah wondered how she fell in love with that girl.

She looked at Lauren, who had stopped eating mid-chew. She was staring at Camila, her mouth opened, in awe.

"Lo?" Dinah questioned. Everyone turned to Lauren, who just looked at Dinah.

"'es?"

"Eat."

"Bu' 'amz ead e'eryding."

"Camila leave some for the rest of us," Ally scolded, glaring at the girl in question.

Camila huffed and nodded. "One more."

Lauren grinned and pointed to one. "'ow 'ou."

"You are so lucky you are cute," Camila said, grabbing the small piece Lauren was pointing at.

Lauren grinned and continued her pizza. Once she finished her slice, she gave her plate to Dinah. "'owe pee."

Dinah grabbed a slightly bigger one and gave it back to the girl. "'nk 'ou."

Dinah grinned and nodded.

They all ate their dinner. Lauren didn't finish hers and gave her remains to Camila who gladly took it.

They all went back to the living room. Lauren was in between Camila and Dinah. They were watching Spongebob. Lauren was cuddling with Nala. Halfway through the episode, Lauren let out a yawn.

"Are you sleepy?" Dinah asked, running her hand through the girl's hair.

"Ba?"

"Of course," Normani said, standing up and going to the kitchen.

The remaining four looked confused. "What?"

Normani returned, and gave the bottle filled with warm milk to Ally. She grabbed Lauren and sat down, with Lauren on her lap. She took the bottle from Ally and helped Lauren drink it.

Normani was concentrating on Lauren, that she didn't see the three looks of surprise aimed at her. Dinah  _had_  to find out how Normani knew all about it. And by the looks on the other girls' faces, they wanted to know too.

Lauren fell asleep on Normani's lap, the milk completely gone. Normani stood up, and walked to the bedroom, the three other girls followed behind. She placed Lauren on the bed, closer to the wall. She turned to the other girls.

"I think we should put bars on this so she doesn't fall off. Or put pillows on the ground for tonight."

Dinah and the other two could just nod. They all went to get the extra pillows and blankets and placed them on the ground next Lauren's bed, hoping she didn't fall. Once they made sure Lauren was going to be okay, they all kissed her forehead and walked out, leaving the door open.

They all went to the living room. "We need to talk about a few things," Dinah said, glaring at Normani.

"How do you know so much about this? And how to take care of Lauren?" Ally asked, grabbing her fiancée's hand.

"Well, during my breaks, I go on a few websites," Normani started, blushing.

"It's not porn is it?" Dinah asked, grinning.

"Don't be stupid, porn doesn't show how to take care of people," Camila said, rolling her eyes.

"It does, sexually."

"But not in the way we talking about."

"Guys-"

"You don't know what Mani learns from porn. You don't know what she does to Ally behind doors."

"Guys-"

"I don't want to think about, not now not ever. That's my cousin."

"Guys-"

"I'm just saying-"

"Children! Shut up. We are having a conversation," Ally said, her face red.

"I read a lot of Fanfiction! And some of them have Age Play stories that I like to read!"

"Girl, I read all the Queen B fanfics. I can never get enough."

"I love the Housewives fanfics."

"I read a lot lot of One Direction fanfics. I even write some of my own."

"You don't have to be ashamed of that. I mean, millions of people read them. And you are the best out of all of us when taking care of Lauren," Ally whispered, kissing Normani.

"Oh, you two can kiss but we can't," Dinah whined, glaring at them.

"So what fanfics do you read? What's your username? Do you use Fanfiction or Wattpad?" Camila asked.

Normani let out a laugh and took a few steps back. "Well, you see," she started, before turning and running to her room. Camila ran after her.

Dinah and Ally were left alone. Dinah shrugged. Ally followed after Camila. Leaving Dinah alone.

"I feel like we are forgetting something."


	7. Bish

Cries woke Normani up. She groaned, moving to lay down on her stomach, but the cries wouldn't stop. She looked at the clock, seeing that it was three in the morning. It took her a second to remember that Lauren was living with them and she was probably scared. She quickly left her room and almost ran to Lauren's. She found the girl on the pile of pillows, crying.

"Hey," she whispered, walking to her and picking her up in her arms. She palmed the diaper, feeling it heavy and full. "Lets get you changed, okay?"

Lauren nodded, still crying. Normani grabbed the pacifier and gave it to Lauren who put it in her mouth. Her cries muffled.

"We are okay now?" Normani asked, while grabbing a new diaper and changing the girl.

"Do you want to continue sleeping?" Normani asked, wiping the girl.

Lauren nodded, her eyes still shiny from the tears.

"Okay. Do you want to sleep with Ally and me?"

"'an I?"

"We'd love for you to stay with us."

Lauren nodded. "Mama 'nd papa 'o 'ed me."

"We aren't them. We want you to sleep with us."

"O'ay."

Normani grinned and taped the diaper up. She picked Lauren up, and carried her into her bedroom. She placed Lauren on the bed. Lauren looked at the sleeping person. "Ah-wwy s'eepin', sh."

"Yes, sh, now lay down you crazy girl."

Lauren giggled and laid down. Normani got into the bed and pulled Lauren close to her. She heard Lauren give out a sigh, and her breathing evening out. It didn't take Normani long to fall asleep too.

-

Camila was the first to wake up. She was excited to see Lauren. She walked straight into Lauren's room, to find the room bare. She worried for a second, before remembering that there was one other bedroom. She walked towards Normani and Ally's bedroom, to find the girl sitting between them. She seemed to be watching them sleep.

Lauren looked at Camila and grinned. "'amz, sh, dey s'eepin'."

Camila smiled. She walked over and extended her arms. Lauren, slowly, crawled into Camila's open arms and let her carry her out of the room. Camila quickly changed the girl and headed to the kitchen.

"Want to be my little helper?"

Lauren nodded. "'es. Walfs? 'ananananas? 'ookies?"

"No waffles today. We are having pancakes."

"Pannies?"

"Yes pannies."

"'elp?"

"Yes. I'm going to put things in a bow, and you are going to mix it, okay?"

"'o."

"Do you know what mix is?"

"'o."

"Okay. I'm going to show you, okay?"

"O'ay. 'eash."

"Leash?"

"'eash."

"What?"

"'eash."

"What are you saying?" Camila asked, standing in front of Lauren.

Lauren sighed. "'eash."

"Teach. She's saying teach her," Normani said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"I knew that."

"Sure. Just make breakfast all ready."

"Fine. Don't have to be such a bitch about it."

"Bish?"

Normani and Camila looked at each other, eyes wide.

"What did you teach her?" Normani said, glaring.

"Me? It was your fault."

"You said it!" Normani snapped.

Camila turned to Lauren, to see the girl poking the egg. She would giggle when it moved. she looked up at Camila.

"'amz, 'ood?"

"Let's make breakfast and forget you ever learned that word, okay?"

"O'ay."

"Ally is going to kill you."

"I know."

-

Breakfast was done and over with. Dinah and Lauren were in the backyard. Normani, Camila, and Ally went to buy a better bed for Lauren who feel off it in the middle of the night.

There was a small play set from the former owners. They never got it torn down. Camila liked sliding down the slide, Normani and Ally liked sitting on the swings and holding hands. Dinah liked the selfies. Now, they were grateful they had kept it.

Lauren's face lit up when she saw it. She turned to Dinah. "P'ay?"

"Yeah. You can play whenever you want, as long as you tell us."

"P'ay wid me?"

Dinah nodded. "Okay. We'll play. Want to go on the slide first?"

Lauren nodded her head. She climbed the ladder and sat down. When she saw how far from the bottom she was, she seemed to panic. She started to cry.

Dinah rushed to the top of the stairs and hugged the girl.

"Are you hurt?"

Lauren shook her head. "S'awy." She pointed to the ground.

That was all Dinah need. She now knew Lauren was scared of heights.

"The only was is to go down. Can you do that with me? We can both go down," Dinah said, wiping the tears from Lauren's face. The young girl nodded. Dinah moved so she was sitting down behind Lauren. She wrapped her arms around Lauren and pushed them so they both went down the slide.

Lauren turned and wrapped her arms around Dinah's neck. She continued to cry. Dinah rubbed the girl's back, whispering soothing words to her.

"It's okay, you're okay. I'm here."

"DJ, 'o 'owe," Lauren cried, shaking her head. She wrapped her legs around Dinah's waist. Dinah carried her into the house. She placed her on the couch.

"Have you gone potty?"

The little girl nodded. She raised her arms, wanting to be picked up. Dinah did just that and took her to her room to change her.

Lauren didn't make a fuss. She just laid there and let herself be changed. When Dinah was done, she picked Lauren up. "What do you want to do?"

"P'ay p'incess. 'ou p'incess, I saveded 'ou."

Dinah grinned. "Okay then. Where is my castle?"

Lauren pointed to the bed. Dinah sat on the bed. She watched as Lauren fought an imaginary dragon with an imaginary sword. They had seen Shrek during her hospital stay and she loved the scene were Shrek and Donkey were in the castle to save Princess Fiona.

Lauren swung her sword around, while screaming "No!", well "'o!". Dinah couldn't help but record it in her phone for the other girls.

Lauren made one last stabbing motion, letting go of her "sword." She turned to Dinah.

"I saveded 'ou P'incess."

Dinah got off the bed. "My hero. I have to repay you." She kissed Lauren's cheek. The younger girl giggled. She kissed Dinah's cheek. "DJ."

"Yes Lo?"

Lauren just ignored her. Dinah laughed.She watched as Lauren got her Nala. "S'eep?"

"Let's sleep," Dinah said, grabbing Lauren and pulling her into her arms.

-

Ally and the girls just finished setting up Lauren's new bed. It was Disney themed. She picked Lauren up and took her downstairs. The younger girl would just press her cheeks together and giggle.

"I'm gonna fall Lo," Ally said, trying to get her cheeks away from the girl.

"S'op?" she asked, her eyes wide and filled with innocence.

"For now. Once we are in the living room you can continue?"

"P'ay," she said, pressing down.

"You'll have to show me," Ally said, nodding.

"I teash," Lauren said.

"Teash?" Ally asked, having an idea of what she was saying.

"She means teach," Camila said, grinning.

"I got that Mila."

"I was just trying to help."

Ally placed Lauren on the ground. The girl got the toy piano they bought and started pressing the keys, giggling when different sounds came out.

"I should teach her how to play guitar," Camila muttered, staring at the girl.

"Concentrate Camila," Normani said, giving her a look. "We start work tomorrow. I was think, Camila, you quit your job."

Camila frowned. "Why?"

"Someone needs to stay home to take care of Lauren. You don't even like working at that place. You can stay here, take care of Lauren and work on your music."

"Be a stay at home mom?"

"Until you launch your career. It'll be good for you," Dinah whispered, rubbing her girlfriend's arm.

Ally saw Camila look at Lauren before nodding. "I'll do it."

"Now that that is done with, we can play with Lauren."

"Hand me that teddy bear!"

"Give me the toy guitar."

"Look over here. Smile."

"Bish."

"Dinah taught her!"


	8. Allysin and Mani

 

Lauren was on cloud nine. First, her new caretakers, her new moms, are the heaven sent. Second, she was able to eat cookies, and lots of them. Third, she hadn't been hit, at all! Fourth, they gave her kisses and hugs, they cuddled her. And lastly, the cookies! Oh, how she loved the cookies. And Ally told her they were going to make them soon. Lauren didn't know you could make cookies at home. It's like pizza, it's always bought in stores.

Lauren sat up in her bed. They had bars so she wouldn't fall. She couldn't get out either. She could feel her diaper against her bottom, and it was not clean. She didn't like it. It was uncomfortable.

Lauren started to hum to herself, waiting for someone to wake up. Her diaper had started to bug her, but she didn't want to walk anyone up. She could hear Normani's soft snores. As nice as the girls were, they still scared her.

To keep herself from crying, she started to hum louder.

-

Ally groaned, turning over on the bed. She could hear humming. She opened her eyes and turned to the baby monitor that the sound was coming out of. They had gotten a two-way baby monitor so they could talk to Lauren.

She sat up and walked towards Lauren's room, to find her sitting in the middle of the bed, crosslegged, and humming to herself. She had tears streaming down her face.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Ally asked, moving the bars so she could get Lauren.

Lauren whined and pulled at her diaper.

"Did you go potty?"

Lauren nodded. "Ah-wwy, pee."

"Let's get you all cleaned so you don't get a rash," Ally said, grabbing an new diaper and laying Lauren on the bed. Lauren grabbed the pacifier that was within reach and put it in her mouth. She grabbed her Nala and hugged it close.

Out of the four girls, she knew less about changing diapers. Dinah and Camila had younger siblings they had practiced on and Normani had been  _studying_  it. But the other girls had taught Ally how to do it. It was her first time changing Lauren alone.

She started to hum under the pacifier. Ally just listened, trying to see if she could hear a rhythm, but there was none. The girl just seemed to be humming to herself, making different sounds. By the look of her face, she was concentrating deeply about what she was humming.

Ally finished taping the diaper and tapped it, grinning when the young girl giggled. "S'eep?"

"Yeah, go back to sleep. If you need anything, just say our names. See that thing right there?" Ally asked, pointing to a baby monitor on Lauren's drawer.

The girl nodded, staring at it.

"That lets us hear you if you ever need us. We won't get mad if you need us," Ally whispered, moving the hair out of the girl's face.

Lauren laid back down and let the older woman tuck her in. She smiled softly.

"Sleep tight, okay Lo? I love you."

"''ove 'ou."

Ally's heart swelled as she gave Lauren another kiss. She watched Lauren snuggle on her bed and hold Nala tighter, letting out a sigh, her voice evening out.

Ally walked back to her room, a grin on her face. It grew when she saw Normani awake.

"I heard," Normani whispered, sitting up.

Ally closed the door and climbed into to the bed so she was on Normani's lap. "She said she loved me. She's been with us for two days and she said she loved me."

Normani didn't respond. She pressed her lips against her older girl's. Ally let Normani turn them so her back was on the mattress. She grinned when Normani pulled back.

"I want you."

-

Lauren stared at the wall. Her eyes big. The noises were coming from the talkie, and it scared it. She could here Ally and Mani moaning and grunting. She could hear them say things.

" _Fuck baby. Just like that. Oh my_ ," she hear Mani groan. It was like she was in pain.

Lauren let out a whine.

" _Like that?_ "

" _Oh fuck._ "

Lauren started to hum.

-

"They won't stop," Camila muttered, pressing her pillow against her ears. She could hear Normani and Ally going at it, and it grossed her out.

She closed her eyes. She only had them closed for two seconds before she shot out of bed. "The baby monitor goes both ways. Lauren is hearing them!"

Dinah started to laugh. Camila rushed out of the room, bang her fist against  _Normally's_ room as she headed to Lauren's. She walked inside and found Lauren staring at her, a look on her face.

Camila laughed, walking forward and pulling Lauren into her arms. She walked over to the baby monitor and turned it off, as Ally and Normani weren't disturbed from the knock.

Lauren pointed to the baby monitor, "A-Awwy, Mani owies?"

"No. They were being naughty."

"Naughdy?"

Camila nodded. "Really naughty. Want to sleep with me?"

Lauren nodded. She wrapped her arms around Camila's neck. She had Nala between their bodies, the stuffed lion pressed against her mouth. "S'eep?" she asked, her voice muffled. She looked at Camila with big green eyes.

"Let's go to sleep." Camila whispered, grabbing Lauren's pacifier and carrying the sleepy girl to her room.

Dinah moved so both girls could fit on the bed. Camila placed the girl in the middle. Dinah pulled Lauren to her. The small girl giggled into Nala.

"S'eep?"

"Sleep," Dinah said, her voice groggy.

Camila got into the bed, moving so she was pressed against Lauren. She placed the pacifier into the girl's mouth and cuddled with both girls.

"'ove 'ou 'amz, DJ," Lauren whispered, half asleep.

Camila and Dinah's eyes connected and they linked their hands over Lauren, feeling joy. Both kissed Lauren's cheek.

Camila moved back and closed her eyes, the sounds coming from the other room long forgotten.

-

Dinah, Camila, and Lauren were in the kitchen, having cereal when Normani and Ally walked in. Dinah and Camila giggled. Lauren just ate her cereal, seeing all the colorful marshmallows float around. She chased them with her spoon. Giggling when she would catch one and eat it.

Dinah smirked. "Have fun last night?"

Ally and Normani blushed, not looking at the two others.

"F-fu," Lauren tried, frowning, a bit. She shook her head. "Fuck? Fuck!"

"Dinah Jane, what have you been teaching the girl?" Ally scolded, glaring at the second youngest girl in the kitchen.

"Oh no, you aren't pinning that on me again. No. Did you forget the baby monitor goes both ways?"

Ally's eyes widened.

Dinah's smirk grew. "No. You Ms. Ally, you and Ms. Normani taught her that. If anything, you should be thanking us, we saved her from losing anymore innocence."

Ally and Normani's blush darkened, as they stared at the girl who's attention was back on her cereal, chasing after those charms.

"H-how much did she hear?"

"Enough. And here I thought you were the most responsible. Ally, you and Normani taught her a bad word. We should clean your mouth with soap."

"Shut up, Dinah Jane."

"Shud up!"

"Ally!"

"Why does she pick up the bad words?!"

 


	9. Caminah's Day (part 1)

 

Lauren stared at Ally and Normani. The taller of the three had just told Lauren they had to leave.

"Me 'oo?" Lauren asked, tilting her head with a small frown on her face. Normani shook her head. "No. You are going to stay here with Camila and Dinah. They are going to take care of you."

"Bu', I wan' 'ou he'e."

"Lo, we need to work. We need the money," Ally told her, grabbing Normani's hand.

Lauren shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "ove 'ou! 'o 'eave! Pee!"

"We'll be back, okay, baby?" Normani whispered, wiping the tears from Lauren's face. "You aren't going to be alone."

The young girl nodded.

"I love you, too."

"'ove 'ou. 'ome 'ack."

"We'll always come back. This is home, yeah?"

"'es, 'ome. 'ack, a'ways."

Normani gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. Ally copied her. They walked out of the room.

"'ome 'ack," Lauren whispered, as Normani closed the door behind her.

Normani sighed, shaking her head. "That was harder than I thought."

Ally nodded. "We'll be back though. We'll be home soon."

-

"You don't have to stay," Camila said, looking at Dinah.

"It's fine. I called in sick already. If I can spend the day with you and Lolo, I'm  _so_  okay with it."

Camila walked to Dinah, grabbed the front of the taller girl's shirt and pulled her for a kiss. She felt Dinah smile against her.

Lauren ran to the girls. Shortly after Normani and Ally left, Lauren stayed frozen at the front door, crying. Camila and Dinah tried moving her, but the girl would cry harder. She stayed there for an hour, before she calmed down. Camila put Lion King on the television, and by the time Simba and Nala started singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" came out, she slowly migrated to the living room and watched the movie, Nala at hand.

Camila pulled away and turned to look at the younger girl. "'amz, pizza! An' 'ookies!"

"I have to make you healthy food Lolo, or Ally will kill me."

"Kiww?"

"Yeah, you know," Camila started. She grabbed her own neck and acted like someone was chocking her. She fell back against the couch and stuck her tongue out.

Lauren giggled. She walked up to Camila and gently tapped her cheek. "'amz."

"Sh Lo, I'm dead."

"I dead 'oo!" Lauren exclaimed. She laid on the couch next to Camila and stuck out her tongue as well.

Camila heard a  _click_. She looked at Dinah to see her on her phone. "Did you just-"

"Yup. Took a picture of my dead girls. Going to post this on my Instagram."

Camila laughed and shook her head. She stood up and extended her hand to help Lauren up. The young girl stood up and followed Camila to the kitchen.

"Well, Ally already started lunch. I just have to heat it up and give it to you," Camila said, staring at the green vegetables. She made a look of disgust. "Gross."

Lucky for her, Lauren was at the table, ready to be fed. Camila turned on the stove and let the food warm up. She got the plates and utensils ready. She looked at Lauren's Lion King plate. She shook her head, smiling,

She waited a second for the food to be warm. She then filled the plates with food, Lauren's having a little less.

She placed the plates on the table. Lauren looked at it. "Wha' dat?"

Camila looked at what she was pointing at. "That's broccoli."

"'ou ead it?"

"Yes. It makes you healthy," Camila said.

Lauren shook her head. She looked slightly sad. Camila didn't know what to make out of it. She turned to get Dinah's plate, placing it on the table as well. She turned the fire off and three cups. She heard Lauren whispering behind her.

"It o'ay. 'ou 'ow bi' and s'wong. I saveded 'ou."

Camila continued pouring orange juice into the cups. She wanted to know what Lauren was talking about.

Dinah walked into the kitchen. She heard the taller girl's footsteps get closer. She looked at the pots on the stove.

"Oh, broccoli. It smells so good. Did you get me a plate?"

"It's at the table."

"Thanks babe," she said, kissing Camila's cheek. She grabbed a drink and walked to the table.

Camila grinned and grabbed the two remaining cups. She went to the table.

"Mila?"

"Hmm?"

"Why is there no broccoli on my plate?"

Camila looked at the table with a frown. She had given them broccoli, but there was none on all the plates.

She looked over at Lauren, to see her fidgeting on her seat.

"Do you know what happened to the broccoli, Lauren?"

Lauren looked up with widen eyes."Dey wan 'way."

Dinah laughed. She shook her head and took her plate to the stove. She filled her plate with broccoli. She turned to Camila and Lauren.

"Want any?"

Camila and Lauren shook their heads. In a few moments Dinah, Camila and Lauren were all sitting around the table. Dinah stabbed a broccoli with her fork and took a bite out of it.

Lauren let out a gasp. She stared at Dinah, with a look of horror. Her eyes shifted from Dinah's mouth to the bitten broccoli.

Camila watched the whole thing with amusement. She knew Lauren stole everyone's broccoli, but she didn't know why. The three finished their lunch and went to watch a movie. Dinah and Camila laid on the couch while Lauren sat on the ground with her toys.

Dinah cuddled with Camila. They watched the movie,  _Lilo and Stitch_. It didn't take long for her to sleep.

-

Dinah woke up first. She yawned and stretched, sitting up. She looked around, but didn't find Lauren. She shook Camila, who shot up.

"Mm, wha?" she asked, groggy from sleep.

"Lauren is missing."

Camila looked around. She got off the couch, Dinah following.

"Is it a little colder, or is it just me?" Camila asked, frowning.

"Did we leave the door open?"

"I think Lauren went outside," Camila whispered, walking to the kitchen to go to the backyard. The door was wide opened. Dinah followed outside.

Lauren was kneeling on the ground. She patted the dirt.

"Aww, 'ood." The young girl looked up, seeing her caretakers standing in front of her. She moved so she was between the two older women and the small dirt hills. "Liddle twees gwow, bi' twees!"

"Little trees?" Dinah asked, confused.

Lauren glared at Dinah. "'o kiww 'owe!"

Camila stifled a laugh. She shook her head.

"What is going on?"

Camila didn't answer. She walked to Lauren, who stiffened. Dinah watched as Lauren stood straighter, ready to protect the dirt hills.

"Lo, those aren't trees. They are broccoli."

Lauren shook her head. "Liddle twees. Gwow bi' twees."

Camila laughed. "No, They are to eat. Look, trees have brown, they didn't have brown."

Lauren looked devastated. "'o twees?"

"I'm sorry Lo, but they aren't trees. How about we go to the store and buy seeds to make plants?"

Lauren nodded, her eyes wide. She pointed to the dirt hills, which Dinah now knew as buried broccoli.

"Just leave it there. Let's go get you changed, and we will go to Target to get seeds to plant."

Lauren ran into the house.

"No running!" Camila walked up to Dinah. "What are you thinking about?"

"Do you think we can grow broccoli trees?"

"Your broccoli obsession is getting out of hand. It's like you love them almost as much as you love me."

"That's not true! I love you almost as much as I love broccoli. If I could, I would marry it. I just have to settle to you."

Camila glared at her. "I don't know why I deal with you."

"Because you can't marry bananas."

"True."

 


	10. Caminah's Day (part 2)

Lauren stared out the window. Camila could see her through the rearview mirror. The girl hadn't been in a car a lot. Twice while she was with them, but she was conscious only one of those times. But she seemed to be enjoy looking at the scenery.

Dinah parked a few feet from the entrance. Camila grabbed her backpack filled with extra diapers, a bottle, pacifier, and extra change of clothes for Lauren. She wanted to be safe. Dinah had already exited and helped Lauren out of the car.

"He'e?"

"Yeah, or else we would have continued driving," Dinah said, grinning.

"DJ, 'ook!" Lauren said, pointing to the Target logo at the side of the store. "Wed!"

"Just wait until you go inside. You are going to love it."

Lauren's eyes lit up. Dinah grabbed her hand and started to walk to the entrance, Camila walking behind. They all went to the gardening section and stood in front of the seed packets.

"What do you want Lauren?"

"Aww."

"We can't plant everything. It's a lot."

Lauren pouted. She looked at the seeds, before pointing to carrots and tomatoes. She then pointed to the sunflowers and a few others. Camila thanked the girl before turning her attention to the numerous seeds. She was going to work from home now, might as well plant some stuff. Maybe make a garden. It could be worth it.

"Yo, Camilla!" she heard. She turned to see a familiar man walk up to her. He had a smirk on his face.

"Dorito," she said back, glaring at him. He glared back.

Both just stared at each other, waiting for the other one to say something.

They both started to laugh. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"I found you in a tub filled with Doritos. I am never letting that go," Camila told him, laughing as well.

"Well, it's nice seeing you again Mila. We have to hang out. Is Dinah around?"

"Yeah, she's-" Camila looked around, noticing Dinah and Lauren had gone missing. "She was here a second ago. Her phone beeped, alerting her of a message. She took it out and rolled her eyes when she saw the name. "Well, she's in the toy section. Want to join me?"

"I'd love to. So what are you doing here? Starting a garden?"

"Is that obvious? Who are you here with?"

"Oh, Shawn. He's actually at the toy section as well, buying a toy for his sister."

"I miss him," Camila said, reaching the toy section. She heard giggling, and smiled.

"He misses you too. He tells me all the same."

They found Dinah, Lauren and Shawn in the teddy bear section. Lauren was cuddling with a Stitch, while Dinah and Shawn took pictures.

"What's going on here?" Austin asked, frowning.

"Hey Mahone, I see you found Mila," Shawn said, grinning. He walked over to hug the girl. He kissed her cheek. "Meet Lauren, Dinah and the girls took her in."

"''allo," Lauren said, waving at Austin. Camila grinned at the politeness of the girl. "'amz, 'ook!" She showed the stuffed animal she was holding.

Austin looked confused. He turned to Camila, who gave him a small smile. She watched as he turned to Shawn.

"She's really nice Austin, the sweetest thing I've ever seen."

Austin nodded slowly. He turned to Lauren. "Hi, I'm Austin."

"Aus-Aswin?"

He shook his head. " _Austin._ "

"Ausy?"

He smiled. "Yes, Ausy."

Lauren's face lit up. "'awny, Ausy!"

Austin turned to Camila. "We were going to go to a small cafe that sells amazing muffins and cookies, want to join us?"

Lauren seemed to perk up at that. "'ookies?"

Shawn nodded. "Lots."

"Now we have to go," Camila said, shaking her head, a smile on her face.

-

All five of them sat around a round table. Their order already in front of them. Dinah watched as Shawn looked at the girl on his right, grinning. She had been telling him about the small trees she planted, that weren't really trees. He'd nod and asked questioned, which made Lauren talk even more. Dinah remembered that Shawn's sister wasn't older than Lauren's mind.

"So, how'd you meet Lauren?" Austin asked, smiling at them.

Shawn shook his head. But turned his attention to Dinah and Camila. Dinah smiled at him, liking how he treated Lauern.

Camila went on to tell them about finding her in an ally with nothing but a cardboard box to live under and dissolved bread to eat. She told them how her parents never seemed to let her brain to develop, leaving her in a baby mind set.

Dinah watched as both men looked over to see Lauren grab a cookie and eat it. "It's great how you all took her in. I hope my kids are that adorable."

"Hear that Austin, better have cute kids," Dinah said with a smirk.

The boy in question blushed. He looked at Lauren, who stared back. "If they are anything like us, they will be."

Everyone at the table, except Lauren who gave her attention to her cookies, laughed. Shawn leaned over and kissed his cheek. They started to talk about anything and everything.

Dinah turned to Camila with a grin. "How does it feel to have both your ex-boyfriends date each other?"

"I was gay too."

"And both my ex-girlfriends are dating girls, so I'm on the same boat," Austin said, laughed. He took a sip of his coffee.

"Becky is dating a girl? How is she? I haven't talked to her in a while," Dinah said, surprised.

Shawn looked up, his cookie in his hand. He laughed. "Oh, she moved to California and started dating a girl she met there, Naomi Scott, I think." He looked down, to notice his cookie disappeared. He looked to his side, to see Lauren with puffed out cheeks and wide eyes. She gave him a smile. He just laughed again, shaking his head. "Have my muffin."

Austin looked at Dinah. "We have to go, but we should get together, with Ally and Normani. And a friend of mine does the whole age play thing too. Maybe Lauren could have a little buddy?"

"That would actually be good. We'd like her to hang out with other people too," Camila said.

Lauren giggled as she took a piece of Austin's muffin when he wasn't looking. Both men looked at her with small smile.

They stood up and said their goodbyes to Dinah and Camila. They went on either sides of Lauren and kissed her cheeks, making her giggle even more.

"Bye Lauren," they said at the same time.

"Bye Ausy! Bye 'awny!" She waved until they left the café.

Dinah turned to Camila. "I'm so glad your exes aren't," she started, before turning her attention to Lauren. She looked at Camila, "You know, a-s-s-h-o-l-e-s."

Camila laughed and nodded. "I know how to pick them."

Dinah rolled her eyes.

-

"You have to bath!" Dinah shouted, looking around. It was time for Lauren's bath, but the young girl was nowhere to be found. She walked into Lauren bedroom. She heard giggling. She could see a pair of legs under the curtains. She smiled. "Where are you Lo?" She made a show of looking for her. Opened the closet door. She looked under the bed. She closed in on the curtain. She heard muffled giggled. "I think you are, here!" She wrapped her arms around Lauren who shrieked.

"'ou founded me!"

"It's bath time Cookie Monster!"

Lauren looked up at Dinah. "'ookies?"

"If you take a bath, you can have one cookie."

"I baff. 'es." Lauren said, letting Dinah carry her to the bathroom.

Dinah had already filled the tub with warm water and soap. She stripped Lauren of her clothes and helped her into the tub. Dinah started to scrubbing while Lauren hummed.

"That's a nice song, can you sing for me?" Dinah asked.

Lauren looked at Dinah for a second. "'o." She turned and continued humming to herself.

Dinah froze, her eyes wide. "Why?"

"'ou kiww liddle twees."

"But they were broccoli."

"Kiww."

Dinah huffed and started to put shampoo on Lauren's head. "So mean to me."

-

Ally and Normani walked into the house. Ally smiled when she saw Dinah, Camila, and Lauren all asleep on the floor. Both women went to change into comfortable clothes.

"I'm going to water the plants, because I know those two would never do it," Normani told Ally.

"I'll see if they started dinner."

Ally went to the kitchen, and looked at the pot, mostly empty. She did notice that all the broccoli was gone. She shook her head. She knew Dinah loved them, and probably ate it all. She decided to make spaghetti, it was fast and easy.

She put the noodles in hot water when she heard Normani walk up to her.

"Hey, why are there broccolis buried outside?"


	11. Normally's Day (part 1)

 

Normani watched as Camila hung up the phone. It had been a week since finding the buried broccoli. After Dinah and Camila told her and Ally want happened, they died laughing.

Ally and Normani were lucky to have less demanding jobs, that they had Wednesday off. All four girls had weekends off.

Ally, Normani and Camila had planned a day at the park for Lauren.

"That was Shawn. Do you guys remember when I told you guys he had a friend that did age play?"

Normani nodded.

"Well, he said that they took her in. Keana, the mom in the relationship had to move because of her job, and because of financial reasons, couldn't take her little, Lucy. Austin suggested he and Shawn take her in. But they don't know what they are doing, so they asked if I could go and help them."

Normani looked at Ally and shrugged. "You and Dinah had a day with her. It's only fair Ally and I have one too."

The short girl nodded.

"I'll let them know I'll be on my way. Take care of Lo!"

Normani laughed and rolled her eyes. She watched as Camila ran out of the living room.

Lauren, who was playing on the floor with her toy piano, looked up. "'amz?"

"She is going to help Austin and Shawn with something, do you remember them?"

Lauren nodded. "'ike 'em. 'ice." She looked down at her piano, concentrating on what keys she was going to press. After the first week of Dinah, Normani, and Ally leaving, Lauren finally understood that they were all coming home.

Dinah and Camila walked into the living room.

The taller of the two didn't have to work until noon. The benefit of working with pre-k kids. She hugged each person, giving Lauren a kiss. "Love you Lo."

"Dinah is dropping me off. Austin will probably give me a lift," Camila said, hugging everyone and giving Lauren a kiss. "I love you Lolo."

"'ove 'ou 'amz, DJ," Lauren said, giving them a grin. Both women blew her a kiss and walked out, leaving the house.

Lauren turned to Ally and Normani. "'ake 'ookies?"

Ally laughed and nodded. "Let's go make some cookies."

Lauren grabbed Nala and ran to the kitchen.

Ally walked up to Normani. "I love to see you with Lauren. You are great with her."

Normani grinned. "She makes it easy. Who would have thought we found the best girl."

Normani followed Lauren to the kitchen, where the young girl was waiting. She was on her knees on the chair, her elbows on the table. Her Nala was on the table, having a conversation with Lauren.

"'es. 'ood 'ookies. 'ou 'ike 'em," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Normani walked to table and looked down at Lauren. "Ready to make cookies?"

Lauren nodded her head. "Me an' 'ala 'eady."

"I think Nala should sit on a chair. You don't want her to fall off the table, do you?"

Lauren's eyes widened. "'ala faww?" She looked at her Nala, quickly grabbed her and placed her on the chair next to her. "Aww 'afe," Lauren whispered, patting the stuffed bear's head.

She looked up at Normani. The older girl just  _awed_. Lauren just stared. "'ookies?"

Normani laughed. She knew nothing came between the Cookie Monster and her cookies. She turned the living room, trying to see Ally. She shrugged, when she didn't see her. She decided to get the ingredients together.

Lauren seemed restless. She hadn't had a cookie in over twenty-four hours. "Awwy?" Lauren whined, pouting.

"I'm here!" Ally exclaimed, running into the kitchen, a bag of chocolate chips in her hand. She had hidden them, not trusting Camila and Dinah. She placed the bag on the table and looked at the ingredients.

Normani opened the bag of cookie mix and gave it to Lauren. "Pour it inside."

Lauren nodded. With Normani's help, she was able to get most of the mix into the bowl. She giggled as she watched it fall. She looked up at Ally, waiting for the next thing.

The oldest girl grabbed an egg and cracked it, letting the insides fall into the bowl.

"Wha' dat?" Lauren asked.

"It's an egg," Ally said, a smile in her voice.

Lauren frowned. "Wha'?"

"An egg, it comes from a chicken."

"Liddle 'ickens?" Lauren asked, her eyes wide.

"No!" Normani shouted, shaking her head. She didn't need a repeat of the broccoli. "No. They aren't little chickens. They, uh, they are food."

Ally frowned. "But-"

Normani gave her a look and a shook her head.

"'o 'ickens?"

"No chickens."

Lauren frowned, but nodded her head. she turned to Nala. "'o 'icken 'ala. Aww o'ay."

Normani and Ally laughed, but continued to prepare the cookies. Lauren sat back and watched. Normani and Ally "snuck" kisses, but Lauren saw all of them.

Normani felt slightly weird about Lauren seeing them. She was still traumatized of the  _sex incident_. But she was slowly getting over that. Lauren hadn't said  _fuck_ since that first time. Most of the time, the girls would try spell curse words. But they forgot about young mind sometimes, and they said the words, but luckily Lauren wouldn't pay attention.

'ookie?" Lauren asked.

"Soon Cookie Monster, soon."

-

Ally took the cookies out of the oven. Normani had taken Lauren away to change her. Ally was glad Lauren wasn't there, or else the girl would have burn herself getting a cookie. She grabbed a few plates for each person. She smiled when she heard footsteps rushing to her.

"The Cookie Monster better not be running!"

The footsteps slowed down. She turned to see Lauren walk in with Nala at hand. She was grinning, seeing the cookies. "'ookies?"

Ally shook her head. "It's too hot. Just wait a second, okay?"

Lauren pouted, but nodded. "O'ay. Ba?"

"I'll get it ready for you," Ally said, nodding her head. She got Lauren's bottle and filled it with milk. She put it in the microwave. She turned to see Lauren reaching for a cookie "Lauren Michelle!"

The young girl froze. She looked at Ally, her eyes widened. "'ookie?"

"You'll get burned," Ally said, the beeping from the microwave going off. She grabbed it and walked to the table.

Lauren had moved away from the tray, her Nala pressed against her mouth. Lauren's emerald eyes staring at her.

Ally shook her head, not wanting to give in. Normani walking then. Lauren turned her big emerald eyes to the taller girl.

"'ookie? Pee?"

Normani took one look at Lauren. Ally watched as Normani gave in with one look. "Okay."

Ally watched as Normani reached for a cookie. "Mani, wait!"

But it was too late. Normani grabbed a cookie, a barely out of the oven cookie. She watched the pain in her face as she let the hot cookie go. "Ow, fuck!"

Ally was about to help sooth the burning feeling on Normani's hands, but she froze when she heard Lauren giggle.

"Fuck!"

 


	12. Normally's Day (part 2)

 

Lauren had eaten many cookies. There wasn't a lot of them, but Lauren ate most. She finished her milk. Lauren had too much sugar in her system, Ally knew Lauren wasn't going to sleep any time soon.

Ally had gotten Lauren dressed. Lauren was excited, because she had never been to a park before.

Ally grabbed Camila's backpack that had all Lauren's necessities. It had already been packed, so everyone used it when they were going out with Lauren.

Lauren's case was heard around the town, so people knew that something was wrong with Lauren.And they knew not to question it.

Lauren was at the door, jumping in place. "'Weady! Me an' Nala wanna 'o!"

Ally tied Lauren's shoes, and stood up, smiling at the happy look on the girls face.

"We are now ready. Mani is waiting for us outside," Ally told her, grinning.

Ally grabbed Lauren's hand and walked outside. She locked the door and headed to the car. Ally helped Lauren on to the back seat and made sure she was secure. Lauren hugged Nala tightly, humming a song to herself.

Once Ally was secure in the passenger side, Normani drove to the park. The second the park came to view, Lauren seemed to be more excited. She started to talk to Nala more, telling her more about what she wanted to do at the park.

Normani parked the car. She started to unload the car, while Ally took Lauren out. The young girl giggled, seeing the grass and trees. Ally couldn't help but smile at the look of wonder on her face.

"Lo, are you ready?" Ally asked, smiling.

"'es Awwy. P'ay?"

"We are going to play and eat. We are going to have fun," Ally said in an excited voice.

Lauren grinned. "'ala, we p'ay!"

Normani got all the things out of the car. "Why do I have to carry everything?"

"It's your punishment."

"But you didn't warn me the cookies were hot," Normani said, a pout on her face.

"Yeah, well you should have known. Let's go," Ally said, leading Lauren into the park.

"You're lucky I love you," Normani muttered, carrying the basket and blankets.

Ally found a place under a tree that wasn't far from the play structure, but wasn't too close. Lucky for them, it was the middle of the week, so not a lot of people were out there.

"We p'ay?" Lauren asked, standing to the side as Ally helped Normani extend the blanket.

"One second," Ally said, smiling.

It was Lauren's first, and Ally was excited to share that with the girl.

The blanket was on the ground, the basket over it. Ally turned to Lauren, who seemed to be paying attention to the play structure.

"Ready to go?" Ally asked, smiling.

Lauren nodded her head. She gripped Nala tighter. "Let's go Lo," Ally said, extending her hand. Normani followed behind her. Ally watched as Lauren crouched down to touch sand.

"Awwy, Mani, wawm," Laure said in awe, grabbing sand and letting it slip through her fingers. "'awft."

"Let's get on the swings," Normani said, excitement in her voice.

Lauren stood up and nodded. Ally let her go and watched her run to the swing, Normani following behind. Ally kept an eye on their things.

"'i'er!" Lauren shrieked, giggling, kicking her feet.

"Hold on tighter," Normani said, smiling.

Lauren's giggles got louder. Ally watched her fiancée play with the girl. Lauren seemed to be enjoying the swing and didn't want to get off it. She giggled, as she Normani pushed her.

It was another few minutes before Normani stopped the swing. Lauren looked at her with her big green eyes.

"Why don't we go on the slide?"

Lauren shook her head.

"Why not?"

"S'awy," Lauren muttered, swinging her legs.

"What if one of us goes up with you and the other one stays at the bottom of the slide?" Ally suggested, smiling slightly.

Lauren looked at Ally, then Normani, and lastly the slide. "O'ay."

She took Ally's hand and let her take her to the play structure. It wasn't long until the stood at the top of the slide. She helped Lauren sit down, and she sat down behind.

"'o wed 'o," Lauren said, pushing herself back into Ally.

"I promise I won't let go. Never," Ally whispered, hold tighter. "One, two, three," she whispered, pushing herself so she and Lauren could slide down the slide.

It wasn't entirely big, but Lauren was tensed the whole time. When they reached the bottom, Normani stopped them so they wouldn't slide off it. Ally released Lauren, who jumped into Normani's arms.

"I'll be here. We'll always here for you."

-

Lauren took a bit from the sandwich they made before leaving. They had been at the park for an hour and they were hungry. Lauren seemed to be enjoying her sandwich. There was also some carrots and cookies the basket for them to eat. But Ally told her that she had to eat everything else, or as much as she could, before she could touch the cookies.

The second Ally said that, Normani looked away. She was not going to fall for Lauren's eyes again. She quickly ate her sandwich and reached for a cookie.

"What are you doing?" Ally asked, giving Normani a stern look.

"Getting a cookie," Normani said, confused.

"You didn't finish your carrots."

"B-but-"

"No buts. Finish them."

Normani sighed and looked at Lauren, who had a small smirk on her face. Normani frowned at that, but turned to her carrots.

"Awwy, I fini'sed," Lauren said, showing her the empty foam plate. Ally nodded and gave her some cookies.

While Normani at her carrots, she noticed something different. She had twice as much as originally did. She turned to Lauren who just gave her an innocent smile as she bit into the cookie. She widened her eyes, so all Normani could see were the greens. She sighed and just silently at the carrots.

-

It was getting time to get home. Ally was carrying all their things to their car, while Normani carried a sleeping Lauren.

"This girl gave me all her carrots so she could eat a cookie," Normani said, shaking her head. She felt Lauren's breath on her neck.

Ally laughed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because she gives me her big green eyes and I can't say no. And she's the Cookie Monster. I bet you, she could kill someone for cookies and get away with it with her eyes."

Ally shook her head, opened the door so Normani could place Lauren inside. She pressed Nala against the girl's chest, who automatically wrapped her arms around the stuffed lion. Once everything was in the car, they both got inside.

"I'm glad she had fun," Ally said, smiling.

Normani nodded. "We should take her to the zoo."

"She'd love that," Ally responded.

Normani looked to her rearview mirror to see the sleeping girl. She smiled, knowing she'd eat every carrot in the world for her.

-

"I think they'd get along. Lucy was shy, but really sweet," Camila said at the dinner table. "If anything, they'd be best friends."

"That's good. Lauren could have someone close to her age, both mentally and physically," Dinah responded, turning to the girl who seemed to be falling asleep on her plate. "I don't think Lo's going to make it through dinner."

Everyone looked over at Lauren, who's head was falling, but she woke herself up. She let out a yawn.

"I'll go put her away," Camila said, standing up. She picked Lauren up and carried her to her room.

There was a knock on the door. Dinah frowned, it was after six, and they weren't expecting anyone over. She stood up and went to answer it.

Her eyes widened when she saw who was at the other side. Her eyes looked at three of the four women, not wanting to see any of them.

"Dinah Jane."

"Bye mom," she said, closing the door. She pressed her back the door, feeling fear. Ally and Normani walked into the living room.

"What's going on? Who was it?"

"Our moms. We are fucked!"


	13. Parents' Day (part 1)

****Camila walked down the stairs. Lauren had fallen asleep quickly, still tired from her day in the park. She saw her girlfriend, and the two others standing at the door.

"What's going on?" Camila asked, frowning. She walked up to the door. She opened it, freezing when she saw her mother standing there. "Mami? Wh-what are you doing here?"

" _Dinah Jane Ilaisaane Milika Hansen,_ you did not just close the door on me," Milika scolded, glaring at her daughter.

Dinah let out a nervous laugh. "Hi mom. You're so pretty today."

"Shut your mouth. I am not talking with you," Milika said, glaring at her.

Dinah nodded. The other girls went to hug their mothers.

Ally invited their mothers in, who entered. The girls and their mothers sat around the living room, Lauren's toys in the corner.

"So who's that new girl you've been hanging around with? The one you guys post pictures about?" Patricia said, looking at her daughter.

"Lauren," Ally said, nodding her head.

Andrea turned to her daughter. "And how did you meet her?"

"Ally and Camila found her one day," Normani said, rubbing her palms together.

Sinuhe turned to the toys. "Who do those belong to?"

Camila looked at the toys, and smiled when she saw the toy piano, it was Lauren's favorite toy. "It, uh, it's Lauren."

Milika perked up at that. "The same Lauren?"

"Y-yes?" Dinah answered her mother.

Milika turned to Dinah. "You are still being punished. I don't want to hear a peep from you."

Dinah sighed, and nodded.

"So, anyone want to tell us what is going on?"

Ally, Normani and Camila looked at each other.

"So, Ally and I were shopping for wedding stuff. I heard saw something in an alley. It was Lauren. She looked like slept through that horrible storm that happened two weeks ago."

"So Camila and I took her to the hospital. She, she's so sweet, and lovable. We just had to help her, take care of her."

"But she's not, she's not entirely there. Her parents were abusive. They kept her locked up for some time. Never let her mentally develop."

"So Ally, Mani, DJ and I have been taking care of her."

The four girls looked up at their mothers. They all stared at them.

"What is she to you guys?" Patricia asked, looking at all their faces.

"She's our daughter," Dinah whispered, smiling.

Milika turned to her daughter.

"We love her," the youngest one continued, "we can't imagine our life without her."

"Where is she?"

"Asleep. Ally and Mani took her to the park. She was tired."

"Well, we will be back Saturday with your fathers to meet our granddaughter," Sinu said, smiling. The other three mothers nodded.

The mothers left the house, leaving the girls alone.

"Well, that went well."

-

Lauren looked at Ally. She was changing her diaper. The girl's parents were coming. Dinah and Camila's siblings weren't going.

Lauren had been quiet last few days. It seemed like she was deep in thought.

"Is everything okay?" Ally asked, looking at the girl.

Lauren's eyes filled with tears. She shook her head. Ally wrapped her arms around the girl.

"What's wrong? Lauren, baby, calm down," Ally whispered, rubbing her back. The girl started to sob into Ally's shirt.

She picked the girl up and carried her to the living room where the other girls were.

The second the other girls saw a crying Lauren, they all circled her, asking what was wrong. Lauren shook her head, and continued to sob.

Ally and the other girls were worried. Lauren never cried just because. There was a reason. But they didn't know what that reason was.

Lauren curled up into a small ball.

Ally rubbed her back, waiting for her to calm down. Lauren hadn't said anything in sometime.

There was a knock on the door. Dinah got up and let their parents in. She told them to go to the backyard and that they would be there in a second.

Milika questioned it, and Dinah told her that Lauren was crying, pointing to the sobbing girl.

"Let me try," she said, looking at her daughter.

"I'm not sure-"

"I raised you and I did a damn good job. I can handle Lauren."

Dinah signed and nodded.

Ally let the girl go, who's sob got louder.

"We are going to be outside, okay? DJ's mom want to talk to you. You're going to be okay," Ally whisperer, pressing a kiss on the girl's forehead. The other three girls followed, leaving a kiss on the girl's forehead.

-

Dinah was worried. She knew her mother. And the fact that she knew her mother worried her.

It had been over ten minutes and neither her or Lauren came out.

She quickly stood up when she saw her mother and Lauren walk out of the house. She rushed to her. Lauren had her thumb in her mouth and was smiling. Her other hand was in Milika's.

"Is she okay? Did she tell you why she was crying?"

Her mother laughed, nodding her head. "Go ahead Lauren."

Lauren looked at Dinah, her eyes big and green. "'ove 'ou Ma."

Dinah's eyes filled with tears. She wrapped her arms around the girl. "I love you Lauren Michelle. I love you baby."

Lauren took her thumb out of her mouth. "'ove 'ou Ma. 'ove ou."

Dinah's heartbeat quickened as she heard Lauren.

Lauren pulled away. "Mami!"

Dinah looked over to see Camila freeze. Her eyes filled with tears. She ran to them and hugged Lauren. "Lolo, I love you."

"'ove 'ou Mami."

Camila kissed the girl's cheek and hugged her tight.

She pulled back.

"Mama?"

Camila looked at Dinah. The taller girl shook her head. "I'm Ma."

Camila smiled. "Go find her."

Lauren moved away from Camila and scanned the backyard. She took off towards Ally. "Mama!"

Ally turned, her eyes widened. "Oh my god."

"Mama! 'ove 'ou Mama!" Ally wrapped her arms around the girl.

"I love you too baby girl."

Dinah watched with a smile. Camila walked up to Dinah. The taller girl wrapped her arm around the girl. She kissed her cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Mommy!" Dinah looked up to see Lauren run to Normani. She watched Lauren jump into Normani's arms. "'ove 'ou Mommy."

Normani let out a sob and she hugged the girl. "I love you Laur. I love you."

Lauren held on tight. Normani and Ally walked up to Dinah, Camila, and Milika. The other parents were watching with tears in her eyes.

"She had been stressing the last few days. She had wanted to call you her mother's but she was scared. I think she wasn't really allowed at her old home."

Normani rubbed the girl's back. "I'm glad she did. I'm so happy."

"We all are Mani, we all are."


	14. Parents' Day (part 2)

 

They made a system. Each pair of parents and their daughter got thirty minutes with Lauren. That was they'd have enough time to know her.

Dinah, Milika and Gordon went first. Lauren was petting Nala's head while she stared at her grandparents.

"I'm Grandma Milika and this is Grandpa Gordon."

Lauren frowned her eyebrows. "G'amma 'a'ika, G'anpa 'owon."

"That's okay sweetie. We brought you presents."

"Pwesen's?" She asked, her eyes widening.

Gordon gave Lauren who opened the box. Dinah looked inside to see a pair of pajamas. It was Simba, Stitch, and a unicorn onesies. Lauren touched it, smiled. "'nk 'ou."

Milika opened her arms. "May I have a hug?"

Lauren put the box next to her. She nodded her head. "'es." She hugged Milika back. Once that hug was done, she looked at Gordon. "'ug?"

He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. Lauren sat back down and stared at them.

"So how is Dinah treating you?"

Lauren looked at Dinah, and the older girl wondered what was going on in her head.

"Kiww," Lauren said, glaring at her.

" _Oh my god._ "

"Ma kiwweded 'iddle twees. Buwwy, 'ewe," Lauren said, pointing to the ground.

"Dinah killed little trees?" Gordon asked, confused.

"'es."

"I ate broccoli."

Milika and Gordon started laughing. Milika started to tell Lauren stories from Dinah's childhood, making the girl giggle. As much as Dinah was embarrassed, she loved hearing the girl's giggles.

Lauren was her daughter. She was her baby.

-

Ally, Patricia, and Jerry got the second half hour. Patricia and Jerry also got Lauren a present. When she opened it, she saw a few movies, kid films, special editions, Disney movies, Nick movies, etc.

"'nk 'ou," Lauren said, holding the Lion King DVD close.

"You're welcome sweetie. How is Ally treating you?"

"Mama 'ice," Lauren said, nodding her head. She gave Ally a smile. Ally melted at the look. "Mama 'ake 'ookies."

Ally laughed. "Yes, Lauren is here is the Cookie Monster."

"'es, I 'ookie Mons'er."

Ally's parents laughed.

"Well, Lauren, I am your Grandma Patricia, and this is your Grandpa Jerry."

Lauren nodded. "G'amma Paddy, G'anpa 'ewwy."

Jerry laughed and nodded. "We also own a cupcake store. We have a lot of cookies there."

Lauren's eyes widened. She turned to Ally. "Mama, 'ookies."

Ally glared at her parents. "We have been trying to get her to eat other things. She is obsessed with cookies, kind of like Camila with bananas."

"She is our grandchild, we have to spoil her."

"Mama, fuck," Lauren said, giggling.

Ally froze, she turned to her parents.

"And where did she learn that,  _Allyson_?" Patricia asked, frowning.

"Funny story," Ally said, smiling, "we got two-way baby monitors."

Jerry laughed. "She heard you and Normani, didn't she?"

Ally felt her cheeks darken. She nodded.

Lauren swung her legs as they talked. "Mama, 'ookies?" she asked, pointing to Jerry.

"We'll go there," Ally said, nodding her head.

Lauren grinned, an excited look on her face.

That look was one of Ally's favorite expression, and Lauren was her child.

-

"Hi Lauren, I am Grandma Sinu and this is Grandpa Alejandro."

"G'amma 'inu, G'anpa Alelan'o," Lauren said, nodding her head. She stared at the bag Alejandro was holding.

"Mami, pwesen'?" Lauren asked, pointing at the bag, looking at Camila.

Camila turned to her parents.

"She's our first grandchild. We want to give her something," Alejandro said, placing the bag in front of Lauren.

"'nk 'ou." The young girl opened it, and took out a few records. She looked up, frowning. She brought it up to her mouth and tried to bite it.

"No," Camila said, pushing it away. "These play music."

"'usi'?"

"Music," Camila whispered, nodding her head.

_R-E-S-P-E-C-T_  
_Find out what it means to me_  
_R-E-S-P-E-C-T_  
_Take care, TCB_

Camila sang, smiling.

Lauren clapped. "'gain. 'gain Mami."

Camila sang again.

"Have you been teaching her?" Sinu asked, a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah. The toy piano in the living room, it's hers. She plays it. And we try to teach her other words."

Alejandro nodded. "Like what?"

"Bish!"

"Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao," Sinu scolded.

"I didn't mean to teach her that word. I just said it and she was there," Camila said, not wanting to be trouble. She may be an adult, but she was scared of her mother. She was a scary woman.

"'ove 'ou Mami," Lauren said, smiling.

"I love you too Lolo."

-

Normani pulled Lauren into her lap. She intertwined her fingers over the girl's stomach. Normani felt Lauren poke her fingers.

"Hello Lauren," Andrea said, smiling. "I'm Grandma Andrea, and this is-"

"I'm Grandpa Derrick, Green Monster."

Lauren giggled. "G'amma Anny, G'anpa 'ewwick."

"We got you something," Derrick said, smiling. He gave Lauren the bag.

"'nk 'ou," Lauren told him, grabbing the box. She looked up at Normani. "'pen?"

"Open it sweetie," she told her daughter.

 _Daughter_ , Normani was happy to think that.

"Mommy, 'ala," Lauren said, holding up a Lion King book. She looked up at her, excited. She placed her book on the side. She took out another book.  _Seven Little Monkeys_. Lauren took other books out, most of them Disney Princesses. She then smiled at Normani's parents.

"You guys have a sweet little girl," Andrea said, smiling at Lauren.

"'ou 'ice 'oo," Lauren said, nodding.

"Why thank you," she said.

Lauren nodded her head. She then went to poke Normani's hand again.

Normani and her parents started to have a conversation, when Lauren perked up. She leaned over to her side and grabbed the Lion King book. She squirmed until she was standing on the ground. Normani watched as Lauren walked to her father.

"'ead 'ow me?" Lauren asked, handing him the book.

"Of course Green Monster."

"'Si'? Lauren asked, pointing to his lap.

Derrick nodded. Normani watched Lauren sit on her father's lap lap, place her head over his heart. Normani watched as her father read the story to Lauren in different voices.

She caught her mother's eyes, both of them smiling at each other.

Halfway though the story, Lauren fell asleep. Normani's father didn't move, not wanting to wake her up. After their thirty minutes were up, Ally walked up to the Hamiltons and sat on Normani's lap.

"Did she get you in trouble?" Ally asked, looking at her fiancée.

"What? She got you guys in trouble?"

"Well, me and Camila. But we shouldn't be the only ones," Ally said, nodding.

"What?"

"I mean, she learned the  _f-word_  from you," Ally said, playing with the ring in Normani's hand.

"What?" Andrea asked, sitting up.

"M-mom," Normani whispered wide. She turned to glare at Ally.

"Oops?"

-

"'ammy," Lauren said, pointing the the hamburger. Normani watched as all the grandfathers ran to get her what she wanted. Alejandro got one to her first.

"'nk 'ou," she said, giving him her smile.

The smile that melted all the grandfathers.

Lauren grabbed her hamburger and took a bite out of it. All the condiments smeared on her face, as she enjoyed the food.

Now, the grandmothers rushed to clean it off.

Normani, Ally, Dinah, and Camila were enjoying it, and Lauren seemed to be enjoying it too. She had more attention too. She had her mothers, grandparents, and even Shawn and Austin at the palm of her hand, even if she didn't know it.

They all ate, having fun. Lauren yawned again, not having a real nap. Normani stood up. "It's my turn to put Lauren to bed, I'll be right back."

Normani picked Lauren, who wrapped her arms around her neck, and her legs around her waist. She laid her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Stay awake honey, we're almost in your room. We are going to get you changed and then you can go to sleep."

Lauren yawned. "O'ay."

Normani changed her and placed her on the bed. She sat down on the chair next to her bed. Lauren grabbed a book and gave it to Normani. "'ead?"

Normani nodded. She grabbed the book and opened it. She sat back and laughed when she saw which one she was reading.

"Seven little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head," she read, smiling.

Lauren gasped, sitting up. "'o."

"No, Lo, they weren't hurt. Their mama called the doctor, and the doctor said, no more monkeys jumping on the bed. He was okay."

Lauren sighed, nodding. She laid back down.

"Six little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head."

Lauren shook her head. "'ummy."

Normani laughed. She continued the story. By the time she reached to three monkeys, Lauren was asleep. Normani closed the book and tucked the girl in. She kissed her cheek.

"Mommy loves you Lauren. Mommy, Mama, Mami and Ma. All your grandpas and grandmas. We all love you. You complete us."


	15. Laucy (part 1)

 

Shawn picked out two dresses. "Which one do you like?"

Lucy stared at them, before pointing to the blue one. "Whewe we goin'?" Lucy asked, grabbing her toy.

"We are going to see Aunt Mila and her family."

"Like Auntie Mila. Nice," Lucy said, nodding her head. She stood up and let Shawn change her clothes.

"She has a daughter, she's like you."

Lucy frowned, but nodded her head. "Daddy goin'?"

"Daddy is going too. We all are."

"'amily?"

"Yeah, we're family."

-

"Mami, f'iend?" Lauren asked, looking up at Camila.

"Yeah, Lucy is going to be here soon, and you are going to love her."

"O'ay Mami," the young girl muttered, staring at the piano in front of her. She pressed down on the keys.

There was a knock on the door. Camila stood up. She went to open the door and smiled seeing Shawn and Austin standing there. Lucy was in Austin's arms.

"Hey Austin, Shawn." She turned to Lucy. "How are you Lucy?"

Lucy looked at her, smiling. "Auntie Mila, I good."

Camila smiled. She looked up at the two men. "Come in. Lauren is in the living room. The other girls went to buy lunch."

Shawn nodded. He walked in, kissing Camila's cheek on the way. Camila followed behind them.

"Lo, we have guests."

Lauren looked up and smiled when she saw who it was.

"Ausy! 'awny!" Lauren stood up and ran to hug the men. Austin placed Lucy on the ground to hug the other girl.

Lucy moved to hide behind Austin.

Lauren tried to peek around, but couldn't see Lucy. She turned to Camila. "Mami, f'iend?"

Shawn walked up to the other girl and touched her back. "Lucy, this is Auntie Mila's daughter, Lauren. She's really nice."

"Weally?" Lucy asked, looking up at the tall man.

"'allo," Lauren said, waving at the other girl.

"Hi." Lucy shyly waved.

"Lolo, why don't you show Lucy your piano?"

"'ucy, 'ook," Lauren exclaimed, pointing to her favorite toy.

"'t's Lucy."

Lauren frowned and nodded. "'ucy."

Lucy looked up at her papi. He nodded and signaled for her to go. Lucy slowly walked to Lauren and sat down next to her. Lauren pushed her piano to Lucy who stared at it.

"'ou p'ess," she told her, pressing down on her favorite key.

Lucy reached over and pressed down on one key, giggling as she pressed another key.

Camila sat back and watched as Lauren and Lucy played with the piano.

"I'm glad they are getting along. How are you two doing?" Camila asked, giving the men her attention, but keeping her eye on the two girls who were giggling as they tried to play music.

"Mami, uh, 'ucy, uh," Lauren said, frowning.

"Words Lo," Camila said, seeing the excitement in her voice.

"'ookies. 'ive 'ucy 'ookies," Lauren told her, grinning.

"Papi, bwownies."

"After lunch?" Austin suggested, grinning.

Both girls nodded. "'ovie?" Lucy asked looking at Lauren.

"'vie."

Camila looked through all the movies Ally's parents got Lauren.

"'ucy, 'id wid me," Lauren said, pulling Lucy to the couch. The older of the two followed. Both girls sat on the couch, and watched one of Lucy's favorite movies, Moana.

"We always sing the song for Lucy when she has nightmares," Austin said, grinning.

Camila nodded. "We sing Lion King."

Camila looked over and saw Lauren reach for Lucy's hand. The girl smiled.

-

Austin was shaken awake. He fell asleep halfway through the movie. He looked to his side to Lucy.

"Hey baby, what's wrong?"

"Potty," Lucy said, pulling at her pants.

Austin nodded and picked her up. The jolt woke Lauren up.

"Mami?" the girl muttered, groggy from sleep.

"She went to get drinks with Shawn. Just stay here, I'm going to change Luce here and then we can play, okay?"

"Mhmm." Lauren curled back up and fell asleep. Austin carried his daughter to Lauren's room and placed her on the bed. He quickly changed the diaper.

"Daddy, wook, Nala," Lucy said, pointing to the stuffed lion.

"Lauren likes Nala, like how you like Bambi."

Lucy nodded. He picked Lucy up and kissed her cheek. "I love you baby."

"I love you Daddy," she responded, wrapping her arms around him.

He rubbed her back as he carried her back to the living room. He looked at Lauren, who was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Want to play a game?" Austin asked, putting Lucy next to Lauren.

"P'ay p'incess?"

Austin nodded. "And how to you play that?"

Lauren got off the couch and ran away. He turned to Lucy who was confused. Lauren ran back with a foam sword.

"P'incess 'ucy, I p'odec'," Lauren said, grabbing Austin's hand and pulling away. "'ou d'agon. I 'ave P'incess 'ucy."

Austin made claws with his hands and roared. Lauren stood between them, waving the sword around. Lucy watched, giggling.

Austin chased Lauren around, the girl shrieked. She threw the sword to Lucy. "'ewp, 'ucy!"

Lucy grabbed the sword and hit Austin's back. The man fell to his knees. "No!"

"I pwotect you Lolo!"

Lauren tackled Austin down, and Lucy joined in, giggling.

-

Dinah walked into the house, the boxes of pizza in her hand. Ally and Normani walked behind her with chips and wings.

Dinah looked into the living room to see Austin reading to Lauren and Lucy. Both girls were pointing the pictures and giggled.

"We're home," Ally said, smiling.

Austin, Lucy and Lauren looked up. Lauren stood up and ran to her mothers. "Mama, Ma, Mommy, 'ome!"

Each one hugged the girl and gave Lauren a kiss. Austin stood up, Lucy standing behind him.

"How are you Mahone?" Dinah said, hugging her girlfriend's ex.

"Great. Happy."

Austin greeted the other two women.

"And is this Lucy?" Normani asked, looking behind him.

"Yes, Lucy, these are your aunts and Lauren's moms. Dinah, Normani and Ally."

Lucy peeked at them frowning. Lauren walked to Lucy and grabbed her hand. "'ucy, dey 'ice," Lauren said, intertwining their fingers.

Lucy slowly nodded. She took a step to the side, so she was completely in view. She looked at the women in front of her. "Hi. I'm Lucy."

"P'incess 'ucy," Lauren told them, giving them a firm nod.

Dinah smiled, as she watched her daughter try to comfort Lucy. The shy girl took a step towards the older women.

"Hi Princess Lucy, I'm Auntie Dinah, but you can call me DJ. I'm Aunt Mila's girlfriend."

Lucy looked confused.

"Kind of like your dads."

Lucy nodded. She turned to Ally and Normani.

"I'm Auntie Ally and this is Auntie Mani."

Lucy nodded. She turned to Lauren. "Pway Lolo?"

"We p'ay," Lauren said, pulling Lucy to her toys.

Austin walked up to Dinah and the other girls. "They are getting along."

"Just what we hoped," Normani answered. They all looked to see the girls playing with the stuffed bears that Lauren kept in the corner. She kept those there for when she wanted to play.

"I think they are going to be really great friends."

 


	16. Laucy (part 2)

 

Camila and Shawn arrived a few minutes later. Ally distributed the pizza. Lauren made sure Lucy sat next to her. She told her to watch Camila eat. The shy girl giggled when she saw Camila inhale all her pizza.

"Some things never change," Austin commented, causing all the adults except Camila laugh.

After a slice and a half, both girls pushed their plates away. Lauren gave Camila hers, while Lucy gave her half to Austin.

Lauren looked at her mothers. "P'ay, ou'ide?"

Ally nodded. She stood up and followed the two girls out the door.

"'wing?"

"'kay," Lucy said, nodding. Lauren took Lucy's hand and led her to the swing. She let her sit on it and started to push her. They'd take turns pushing each other.

"Up?" Lucy asked, pointing to the slide.

Lauren looked at it and shook her head.

"Scawy?" Lucy asked, tilting her head.

"'es."

"I pwotect you Lolo."

"P'omise?"

"I pwomise."

Ally's heart melted at that. She smiled as she watched the scene unfold.

Lauren nodded. She climbed the ladder and got on the slide. Ally watched as Lauren looked at Lucy's direction, close her eyes and push herself down the slide.

Lauren pushed herself too hard. She tumbled down the slide and slide off.

The young girl started to cry. Ally and Lucy ran to her. The four people inside ran out.

"Mama, owie," Lauren cried, showing Ally her scraped elbow. It was already bleeding.

"Oh, baby, it's okay."

"Lolo, I sowwy," Lucy told her, tears in her eyes.

Lauren shook her head. "'o." Lucy tried to reach for Lauren, but the younger girl wasn't having it. "'o! 'ou 'ied!"

"Sowwy Lauwen," Lucy cried.

Dinah ran to them, a wet towel in her hand. She gave it to Ally who placed it on the cut. The young girl cried out.

Austin walked up to them and picked Lucy up, who cried into his neck.

Dinah picked Lauren up and both girls were carried inside.

Normani walked up to Ally and wrapped her arm around her. "I don't like seeing her in pain."

"It was just a cut. Nothing bad. But no more slides for her."

"I think she'll be okay with that," Ally told her, smiling.

-

Normani watched as Lucy stared at Lauren. The young girl was cuddling with Nala, her pacifier in her mouth. There were still tears streaming down her face.

Lucy had said sorry many times, but as everyone had learned, Lauren was a stubborn girl. She hadn't forgiven Lucy for letting her get hurt. The others tried to say that it wasn't her fault, but Lauren wasn't trying.

Lucy stood up and walked to the kitchen, deflated. Normani turned to Lauren, who was staring at the television.

"Laur, are you still mad?"

Lauren's eyes shifted to Normani, before going back to the television.

"Laur, you'll have to forgive her sometime."

Lauren didn't make any movement.

Normani heard footsteps. She looked to her side to see Lucy standing there with a plate of brownies and cookies. Normani bit her lip to keep from smiling. She looked around, seeing everyone paying close attention.

"Lolo? I gots you cookies an' bwownies," Lucy whispered, staring down at the plate.

Lauren looked at Lucy and the plate. She sat up, frowning.

"I-I sowwy I lied. Cookie?"

Lauren took out her pacifier and wiped her eyes. She reached over and grabbed a cookie. She stared at it. Lucy put the cookies on Lauren's lap. She moved to sit with her dads.

"'ucy," Lauren said, looked at the cookie. Lucy stopped and turned. Lauren broke the cookie in half and offered it to Lucy. "I fow'ive 'ou. We 'awe."

Lucy grinned and took the half cookie. She sat down next to Lauren. They ate the cookies and brownies from the plate together, giggling as the treats slowly disappeared.

Normani was so glad they made up.

-

Dinah yawned, as the film came to an end. She looked around, to see everyone in pairs. Camila was curled up in her arms. Camila was asleep, while Dinah was slowly following behind.

Ally was in Normani's arms. Ally's head was on Normani's shoulder, as both mouthing the words of the song.

Shawn and Austin were lying down on a couch, cuddling. Shawn's arms around the older man. Dinah could see Shawn whispering things into Austin's ear. Dinah had never seen Austin's face so red before.

Dinah looked to the ground, where Lauren and Lucy were lying on blankets and pillows. They were giggling, whispering things to each other. Lauren's Nala and Lucy's Bambi in their arms.

Shawn had ordered take out for dinner, and they were waiting for it to arrive.

Just as Dinah closed her eyes to sleep, there was a knock on the door. She groaned, as she opened her eyes. She opened it to see Ally and Austin walk to the door. They returned with the food.

Dinah looked down at Camila. "Babe, time to wake up. Dinner is here."

"'m up," Camila groggily said.

Lauren and Lucy ran to the dinner table. Dinah dragged Camila to the table, who wasn't fully awake. She rolled her eyes at her girlfriend. She placed the girl on a chair. She got a plate of food and waved it under Camila's nose.

"Food," Camila said, fully awake. She grabbed the food and started eating.

Dinah looked over to see Lucy helping Lauren twirl the noodles with her fork. Lauren grinned when she did it the first time. Dinah watched as Lauren kissed Lucy's cheek.

Dinah awed at that. Lauren with Lucy were so adorable together.  Dinah turned to her own girlfriend, to see Camila halfway through inhaling her dinner.

"So Ally, Mani, when's the wedding?"

"July 27th," Normani asked, pressing her lips against Ally's.

"Ew," Lucy said, wrinkling her nose.

Lauren frowned, but copied Lucy.

The adults laughed, while the daughters continued their food.

Everyone else made smalltalk, as they all finished their dinner. Once that was done and the trash was taken out, they all went back to the living room.

 _Monsters_   _Inc._  was playing, and everyone slowly fell asleep.

Dinah woke up again at half past midnight. She looked around to see the menu on the television, all the couples sleeping and curled up. She looked to the ground and smiled when she saw Lucy and Lauren on the ground. Lauren was holding Nala, and the small spoon as Lucy held her.

Dinah smiled, she knew it was the start of a beautiful friendship.


	17. Sick Lolo

****"Time to eat Laur," Normani called. There was nothing, not footsteps, not giggles. Just silence. Normani walked into the living room to see Lauren sitting on the ground. She wasn't watching television or playing with her toys. She saw just sitting on the ground, hugging her Nala. "Lo?"

Lauren shook her head.

"You gave to eat," Normani said, crouching over, Lauren's back to her.

"'o."

"Lolo?"

"'o! 'o wanna!"

"Lauren."

Lauren got one of her teddy bears and threw it.

"'o! 'o, 'o, 'o!"

"Lauren Michelle, we don't throw stuff," Normani said, shocked. Lauren was always a calm girl, so to see her throw some sort of tantrum was shocking.

Lauren shook her head. She was trembling. "'o 'ood. 'o wan'," Lauren whispered, looking to the ground.

"Lauren," Normani said, moving so she was crouching in front of Lauren. She looked at the girl, her glassy, bloodshot eyes. A pale face with a red tint on her cheeks, covered with sweat. Normani reached over and touched the girl's forehead, feeling the heat. "You don't feel good, do you?"

Lauren shook her head. She whined, as she moved into Normani's arms. She moved back. Normani saw Lauren go green. Before she knew it, Lauren's breakfast was all over her lap. Normani closed her eyes, trying to keep her own breakfast in her stomach.

Lauren started to cry. "Mommy, I 'owwy," she cried.

Before Normani could answer, she heard footsteps rush to her.

"What happened?" Ally asked, looking at the scene. Ally's nose wrinkled.

"I think Lauren is sick," Normani asked, pointing to the mess on her lap.

"Poor baby. Go shower, I'll get Camila to clean up the mess," Ally said, pointing to the stairs. "And if you make a mess, you will be sleeping on the couch."

Normani laughed and nodded. Ally could be bossy when she wanted to be, but Normani loved her anyways.

-

Ally placed a cold towel and pressed it against Lauren's forehead. The young girl whined around her pacifier and tried to grab the towel.

"No, Lo, keep it there."

Lauren sighed, but let her arms fall. Ally covered Lauren to let her sleep. The small girl was able to sleep quickly.

Camila walked in then with the medicine. "How is the Cookie Monster?"

"She has a fever. 99.8. She's sleep right now."

Camila nodded. "I'll make some soup then. Let me know how she is?"

Ally nodded. She grabbed Nala from the ground and place her into Lauren's arms. The girl just mumbled in her sleep, holding the lion close. Ally sat down next to Lauren, on the ground.

Lauren moaned and opened her fever-induced eyes. "Mama? 'ick?"

"Yeah baby, you have to take your medicine, can you do that for me?"

"Me'cine?"

"Yes, it makes you feel better. You won't feel very sick, will you be able to sit for me, just for a few seconds?"

Lauren didn't respond, but she did push herself up. Ally grabbed the bag of medicine and opened it. She poor some of the liquid into the tiny cup. She gave it to Lauren who stared at it. Lauren took out her pacifier, and placed it next to her. She gave it a small pat before turning to Ally who smiled.

Ally quickly opened the water bottle Camila had also bought. She looked up to see Lauren about to smell the liquid. "No, just drink it real fast." She showed the girl, as if she was taking a shot.

Lauren slowly nodded. She drank it, make a face and started to gag. Ally shot up and sat next to the girl. She helped Lauren drink the water. The girl whined. "as'y."

"I know baby, but you have to if you want to get better." Ally moved to help Lauren lay back down. Ally placed the towel back on her forehead and the pacifier in her mouth.

"'ookie?"

"Your tummy won't be able to handle it. When you are able to hold your food down, we'll give you cookies, okay?"

Lauren sighed, but nodded. "O'ay, 'ookie 'a'er."

"Later," Ally said, kissing the warm cheek.

"'igh'," Lauren whispered, falling asleep.

-

Camila watched as the soup bubbled. She turned off the fire, when she heard a scream. She ran to the living room to see Lauren sitting up, tears in her eyes. She looked up at Camila. "'ad 'weam, Mami."

"Oh baby," Camila said, walking up to the girl. She pulled her into her arms, so Lauren was on her lap.

"'awy," Lauren muttered, grabbing a handful of Camila's shirt.

"Shh," Camila said, rocking her body. Lauren's cries slowed down, but she still seemed spooked.

Camila closed her eyes. She started to hum, trying to lull the girl back to sleep.

_Stay back, stay long, and you move on_   
_I stress, come close, move on, please don't_

_Hello, how are you? How you've been?_   
_Lately I wonder how it feels to steal your kiss_   
_Nothing much, just fine I'm doing well_   
_And you can't read between the lines, but God, I fell_

_I only told the moon, tonight up on the roof_   
_I told her that I'm scared that all my thoughts they look like you_   
_I only told the moon, about the way you move_   
_I asked her to please tell me if you tell things to her too_

Camila sang, staring at the space in front of her.

She heard Lauren sigh, her grip had loosened. Camila didn't move, she just held Lauren.

"Was that your song?" she heard from behind her. She turned her head, to see the other three girls at the bottom of the stairs.

Camila looked down at Lauren, "Yeah, I don't have a lot. Just that."

"It's really good Mila," Ally said, moving to the living room.

"You're going to be amazing," Normani said, nodding.

Camila felt her cheek warm up. She looked down at the girl in her lap.

Lauren was shivering. She let out a small moan. Camila rocked the girl, trying to sooth the girl back to sleep.

-

"Just one more," Dinah whispered, Lauren's spoon in front of the girl.

"'o Ma, 'o 'owe," Lauren whispered, shaking her head.

"You need to eat something," Dinah whispered, rubbing the girl's back. "Can you just take this spoonful? You'll be done after this."

Lauren looked at Dinah with sad eyes. Lauren opened her mouth, letting Dinah feed her. Once she was done, she leaned her head against Dinah.

"Let me finish, then I'll help you take a bath. You'll be able to go to sleep after, okay?"

"O'ay," Lauren muttered, closing her eyes.

Dinah smiled softly. Lauren had been lethargic since throwing up. The poor girl hadn't been able to stay awake for too long.

Dinah quickly finished her lunch, picked Lauren up and carried her to the restroom. She placed the girl on the toilet, as she turned on the water. She let the bathtub with water.

She helped the girl into the bath tub. Lauren whined, as the slightly cold water touched her skin.

"I know baby, but we have to break your fever," Dinah told her, softly cleaning the girl.

"e'er?"

"Yes baby. You're sick."

"'eally 'ick."

Dinah let out a small laugh. "Yes, really sick. But you're get better. Do you know why?"

"'ou 'ove me?"

Dinah grinned. "Because we all love you and we are all going to make sure you are better. When we finish your bath, I am going to take you to your room, and we are going to sing to you."

"O'ay," Lauren said, a light in her life. She was smiling.

Dinah finished cleaning the girl. She wrapped Lauren with a towel and carried her to her bedroom. She'd deal with the bathtub later.

Once Dinah placed Lauren on the ground, the other girls quickly dressed her up, gave her her Nala and pacifier, and tucked her in.

"'ing 'ow me?"

"We will sing for you," Dinah told her, smiling.

Camila nodded. She started to hum a rhythm. The girls nodded.

_I remember years ago_   
_Someone told me I should take_   
_Caution when it comes to love_   
_I did_

_And now when all is done_   
_There is nothing to say_   
_You were gone and so effortlessly_   
_You have won_   
_You can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_   
_Shout it from the rooftops_   
_Write it on the skyline_   
_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_   
_And my heart is broken_   
_All my scars are open_   
_Tell them what I hoped would be_   
_Impossible, impossible_   
_Impossible, impossible_

Dinah looked, to see Lauren asleep. Each girl kissed their daughter, hoping for the better when she woke up.

 


	18. Day at the Doctors

 

Demi Lovato looked at the girl in front of her. Lauren Jauregui. A girl she knew when she was younger. Lauren had grown up, but not a lot. Her parents had screwed her over. But with these new women, she saw a light in Lauren's eyes. They were so much brighter, and it made her smile. Lauren was an adorable girl, and everyone loved her, except her parents but they were assholes.

"I'm going to put this over your heart, okay?" Demi whispered, showing the girl her stethoscope.

"Why?"

"So I know your body is doing what it's supposed to."

"Why?"

"So you can be healthy."

"Why?"

"So you don't die."

"Why?"

"Because if you die, you can't have cookies," she heard one of Lauren's mothers, Camila, say.

Lauren's eyes widened. "'o 'ookies."

"If you want cookies, you have to let Dr. Lovato listen to your heart."

"O'ay 'ovavo, 'is'en pee," Lauren told Demi, nodding her head.

Demi smiled at Lauren. She could see how she was able to get the other three women hooked.

"Call me Demi, it's easier, okay?"

"'es 'emi."

"Breath when I tell you, okay?"

"O'ay," Lauren said, becoming really stiff.

The shorter of the mothers, Ally, walked up to Lauren. "No sweetie, you can breath, but when she says so, take a deep one."

"'eep?"

Ally showed her how. Lauren nodded and copied her. Demi moved to listen, telling Lauren when to take her deep breaths. The girl beamed.

Demi continued with the check ups. But when they go to the shots, things turned a turn. Lauren screamed. She cried. She kicked. She did not want it.

The taller of the mothers, Dinah, placed Lauren on her lap and rubbed her arms. She whispered things into her ear, calming her down. Lauren sighed, and nodded. She clenched her eyes shut. Her mother held on to her tightly, telling Demi to give her the shot.

Lauren flinched, but didn't fight it. Once that was done, Demi placed a Lion King bandage that they had bought. Lauren rubbed the tears from her eyes.

There was a knock on the door. They all turned to see another woman open it.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had patients," Demi's girlfriend, Selena, said.

Demi shook her head. "It's okay. It's over. And so is my shift."

"'one?" Lauren asked, looking at Demi with her big green eyes.

"Yes, you are done."

"No 'ie?"

"You won't die. And you get a lollipop for being so good."

"'ollie?"

Demi nodded. She gave Lauren a green lollipop and watched as the girl opened it and shoved it into her mouth.

"We are going to get lunch, if you two want to come with us," Normani suggested, smiling.

Demi turned to Selena, who nodded. "Okay then."

-

They went to a small sandwich shop. They took a table outside. The girls, with the exception of Ally, Lauren and Selena went to order. The three went to look for a table. The found one big enough and took it.

Lauren looked at Selena who was sitting across her. "'allo."

"Hey, I'm Selena," the other woman said, smiling at the young girl.

Lauren grinned. "'allo ''ena."

"She's adorable," Selena told Ally, smiling.

"She is. We are lucky to have her," Ally said smiling down at the girl.

"'es, 'ucky," Lauren told her, looking around.

Selena laughed. "I'm Selena, Demi's girlfriend."

"Ally, and this is my daughter Lauren."

"'allo, 'gain." Lauren waved with a grin.

Selena smiled. The other girls walked up to them. They all sat around. Ally introduced her to her fiancée, Normani, her cousin, Camila, and her best friend Dinah, who were all Lauren's mothers as well.

"'ookie?" Lauren asked, pointing to the big cookie on the tray. Her eyes were big, and there was a huge smile on her face.

"For the Cookie Monster. Finish your lunch and you'll be able to have it."

"Aww i'?"

"All of it," Dinah said, kissing the girl's cheek.

Lauren nodded and grabbed her sandwich. She bit into it. She looked up at Selena who was watching. "'allo."

"Hello Lauren," Selena said, turning her attention to her sandwich.

Selena and Demi went to tell the girls about how they met, and their marriage. They talked about adopting a child in the near future. In return, the girl's told them about their relationships, their niece and friends.

Dinah started to laugh. "We only have gay friends. I mean, each other, our friends Shawn and Austin, and you two. And if Lauren was able to date, she would  _so_  date Lucy. You should have seen them, they were already girlfriends."

The other three girls laughed, agreeing. Lauren looked up when she heard her name, but went back to her own food.

"Mama, 'o 'owe," Lauren said, pushing the remainder of her food away.

Selena watched as Ally made sure she ate enough. She watched as Ally nodded and Camila reached over and grabbed the left overs. She watched as Lauren eyed the cookie.

"'ookie?"

"I thought you were full," Dinah said, a teasing smile on her face.

"'ove 'ookies. Wan' 'ookie. Pee?"

"I don't know. I mean, she didn't finish her sandwich," Normani added, a smile on her face.

"Bu' 'ookie," Lauren whispered. She looked up at Selena and Demi.

Selena looked deep into her green eyes. She saw the greens become bigger as Lauren's eyes widened. She could feel her heart beat faster as Lauren pouted.

"Here," Demi said, handing Lauren the cookie. Selena looked over to see Demi's red cheeks.

Laure took the cookie with a grin, "nk 'ou, 'emi."

The four mothers laughed. "You looked into her eyes, didn't you?" Camila asked, giving her a knowing look.

"How did she do that?" Demi whined, pouting.

Selena gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"It's her power. We never look into her eyes anymore," Normani told them, nodding.

Selena watched Lauren turn to Dinah and stick out her tongue.

"Why me? Normani wouldn't give you the cookie too."

"'ou kiww," Lauren said, biting into her cookie.

"C'mon! It's been weeks!"

"'o fow'ive. Liddle twees 'ead."

Dinah shook her head. "You are never going to let that go, aren't you?"

"Liddle twee 'amily 'ad," Lauren told her mother, biting the cookie again.

"I apologized!"

Lauren shrugged.

Selena looked over at Demi to see her smiling.

Selena watched as Dinah and Lauren argues, while Camila finished Dinah's food (after she finished her own and Lauren's of course), as Ally and Normani gave each other kisses. Selena could see the family becoming something important in her own life with Demi.

 


	19. Snow White is Real

 

"Lolo, time to wake up," Dinah whispered, shaking the girl.

Lauren groaned and turned so her back was to her. Dinah let out a small laugh and shook her again. "Lo, you have to wake up if you want to go to the zoo."

Lauren turned with her half-opened eyes. "'oo?"

"Yeah, you have to get dressed if you want to go," Dinah told her. Lauren raised her hands, wanting to be picked up. Dinah laughed. "Let's get you changed and dressed up."

"Ma, 'ucy 'ome 'oo?" Lauren asked, watching as Dinah cleaned her up.

"Not today. But if you want, we can get her something. You can give it to her when she sleeps over," Dinah told her. She looked at the table to see Lauren's stuffed cookie. Lauren had named her cookie Chippy.

"O'ay. Ma, I 'ike 'ucy. 'ice," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Dinah smiled. "She likes you too."

Lauren grinned and it tugged Dinah's heart. Lucy was her only friend. Dinah needed to find a way for Lauren to get more friends.

"'ee 'ala?"

"We might see a lion. Are you excited?"

"'es. 'ion, 'waww."

Dinah smiled. Lauren roar sounded like a tiny bark. Dinah kissed her cheek.

"Lolo, let's go eat and then we'll get you ready for the zoo, are you ready?"

"'ood Ma, 'eady?"

Dinah picked Lauren up and carried her to the kitchen, where her pancakes and side of cookies were. Her orange juice in her usual sippy cup within arms reach. Dinah placed Lauren down, who grabbed her food and started to eat it.

Ally placed the final plate on the table and sat down. The other four girls started to eat their food.

"I've been thinking, maybe we should find some sort of special daycare for Lauren. She needs to interact with other people, maybe people who are like her," Dinah suggested, looking at Lauren, who shoved a piece of pancake wrapped cookie into her mouth.

"We'll look around later. Right now, I want to show our little girl all the animals," Camila, being the stay at home mom, said, grinning.

Lauren giggled, and nodded her head, her cheeks puffed out from all the treats.

"'one Mommy. 'ange 'ow 'oo?" Lauren asked, looking at Normani, who ate the last bit of her own food.

"Let's get you showered and changed for your day baby," Normani said, picking Lauren up and taking her away.

Dinah turned to her girlfriend. "I love you. I never tell you enough. But I do, love you."

Camila grinned. "I love you too." She leaned up and pressed her lips against her girlfriend's.

"I can get used to this."

-

"Tilt your head back," Normani said, rinsing the water out of Lauren's hair.

"Mommy, uh, 'avovi'e?" Lauren asked, looking up at Normani.

"Favorite animal?"

"'es?"

"Turtle?"

"O'ay. S'ow."

"They are. Have you ever heard the  _Tortoise and the Hare_?"

"'o, 'eh-'ell i'?"

"How about I tell you the story when it's bedtime?"

"O'ay. Mommy, 'meww 'ood," Lauren said, grabbing her hair and inhaling.

Normani helped Lauren stand up. She wrapped her with a towel. She placed her out the tub and moved the plug, releasing the used water.

Lauren pulled the towel close to her body, rubbing the soft material against her face.

"Mommy, wawm."

"I know baby. Go to your room, I'll be there in a second."

"O'ay, 'ee 'ou," Lauren said, walking out of her room. Normani watched the girl, a bounce in her step.

Normani picked up Lauren's clothes and followed behind her. She found Lauren standing in the middle of the room. Normani smiled when she saw a toothy grin aimed at her. "Let's get you ready."

-

Lauren hugged her Nala close as she looked out the window.

"Awe we 'ewe ye'?" Lauren asked, looking at Ally, who was driving. Ally rolled her eyes. She could hear Dinah tell Lauren to ask the question.

Normani, who was in the passenger seat, and in charge of the music, laughed.

"Almost sweetie. Just wait a few more minutes," Ally responded.

"Who dat?" Lauren asked, pointing to the speaker.

"Queen B," Dinah answered, a smile on her face. Ally looked over to see Normani smiling.

"'ike 'ow Whi'e?"

"Kind of. Queen B is real, Snow White isn't."

Lauren gasped. "'ow Whi'e 'o 'eal?" She turned to Camila.

"No, baby, Snow White is real," Camila said, rubbing the girl's arm.

"Bu Ma sai' 'o 'eal. Ma 'ie?"

"Your Ma lied. She's just jealous that you love Snow White more than you love her."

"'ulan 'eal?"

"Mulan is very real. She did save China."

"Ma 'ean. Kiww, 'ie." Lauren shook her head, shooting Dinah a glare.

"Who's your favorite princess?" Ally asked, trying to calm the three girls in the back seat.

Lauren looked at Ally. "P'incess 'ucy."

The four women awed. Lauren looked down at Nala. "Mama, 'oo?"

"A little more baby. Why don't you sleep a little?"

"'es Mama," Lauren whispered, closing her eyes. Ally smiled when she saw Lauren cuddle up next to Dinah, who had the luck to sit in the middle and fell asleep.

-

"Why do you always argue with her?" Camila asked Dinah, who shrugged.

"She started it. I didn't think she'd be so invested in broccoli. And I know not to ruin Santa, or the Tooth Fairy, or Easter Bunny. But I thought she knew those Disney Princesses were fake."

"It's Lauren. She didn't even know what a television is. How can she knew the movies aren't real, we never explained it," Ally said, shaking her head.

Ally parked the car. Everyone except Lauren and Dinah exited the car. The others got their things, while Camila put her backpack with Lauren's things on. Normani opened the backseat car. She gently shook Lauren awake.

"Baby, we're here."

"'igers? 'ions? 'ur'les?"

Normani smiled. "Yes they are all here. We just have to buy the tickets, are you ready?"

"'es." Dinah unhooked the seatbelt. Lauren climbed out of the car.

Dinah climbed out. She turned to everyone. "Do you think we can get a discount with Lauren?"

Camila laughed, shaking her head. She looked at Lauren who was looking around in awe. The girl, although sixteen, look a little young. Dinah crouched over and let Lauren climb on her back.

"Hold on tight." Lauren tightened her grip.

"If you drop her, I will feed you to the lions," Ally threatened, walking to the ticket line. Normani and Camila followed behind.

Dinah walked with Lauren on her back. Camila kept her ears open to them.

"Hey Lo, Snow White and Mulan are real. I was just jealous 'cause they are better than Beyonce," Dinah said, looking at the girl.

"'es. 'own," Lauren said, wanting to be put on the ground. Lauren ran to Normani and grabbed her hand. Camila slowed down so she was walking next to Dinah.

"How much did that hurt?"

"A lot. It hurt a lot."


	20. Lions and Turtles and Mean Words

Normani walked to the girl with a lion hat. She place it on top of the girl's head. Lauren touched it and giggled.

"'ee 'ions 'ow?" Lauren asked, looking around.

Normani looked around, seeing the strange looks they were getting from Lauren's question. She glared at the people passing. Normani pulled Ally close and grabbed Lauren's hand. She looked down at Lauren.

"Let's go see some lions," she told the young girl.

"'es," Lauren said, nodding. She looked around, seeing all the animals around. "Mommy, 'ook, 'ebra." Lauren pulled Normani's hand. The other women followed. The people around them moved away, giving Lauren looks. The young girl hadn't noticed, she was busy looking at the white and black animals.

Normani placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. She saw that Ally, Camila, and Dinah noticed the looks they were getting. Lauren giggled when the zebra passed by.

"Freaks these days," Normani heard, as someone passed by. She felt a flare of anger through her veins.

Lauren looked up at Normani with her bright green eyes, and she felt her anger vanish away.

"'owe?" Lauren asked, grinning.

"Want to see flamingos?" Dinah asked, smiling.

"'es. 'min'os."

Dinah grabbed the girl's hand and led her to the flamingos, leaving the other three girl's alone.

"Did you hear that? Lauren is not a freak," Camila snarled, angry.

Normani smiled softly. "I know. Lauren isn't normal, and people are going to be mean about it. But we can't let it bug us today."

"Easier said than done."

"Well, try."

Camila sighed and nodded. She walked to the flamingos, hugging Dinah from behind.

Ally grabbed Normani's hand. She kissed her cheek. "This day is about Lauren. Don't let these  _assholes_  ruin that."

Normani let out a small laugh. "Everyday is about Lauren."

"Our wedding will be about us."

"I love you Normani Hamilton."

"I love you Allyson Hernandez."

-

"See the monkey?" Camila asked, looking at the tree.

"'es, up," she said, pointing up at the branches.

"Yes. Do you know what they like?"

"Bananananas, 'ike 'ou."

"Mila is a monkey," Dinah said, nodding her head.

"Mami, 'ions pee," Lauren said, looking at her mother.

"Let's go see the lions," Camila said, grabbing the girl's hand. The family walked to the lion enclosure. Lauren grabbed the bars and looked down at the lions.

"Mami," Lauren said in awe. There was a smile on her face.

Camila smiled as she stared at her daughter.

"'ala," Lauren whispered, staring at the female lion. "I 'ee 'ala."

"What's wrong with her?" Camila heard. She turned to see a woman staring at her.

" _Nothing_  is wrong with her," Camila said, a bite in her tone.

The woman shrugged and walked away. Camila closed her eyes and took a few breaths. She felt someone place their hand over her shoulder. "Breath."

"I'm trying."

"Mami, 'iddle 'ions," Lauren squealed, clapping her hands. She looked up and smiled at Camila.

"I see that, aren't they cute."

"'es. 'ewy," Lauren whispered, staring at the lion.

The small family stood there, watching Lauren stare at the Lion.

-

Dinah's legs were hurting from standing there. She wondered how Lauren wasn't getting bored of the lions, who weren't doing anything.

Dinah walked up to her. "Want to see other animal?"

"S'eep?"

"Are you sleepy?"

Lauren nodded, letting out a small yawn. It was after Lauren's nap time, and the girl was probably really tired.

"How about we find a bench so you can sleep, huh?"

"'es pee," Lauren said, following behind Dinah.

They found a bench under a tree. Lauren laid down, with her head on Dinah's lap. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Dinah ran her hand through her hair, while the other three women sat on another bench, watching.

Lauren was able to get fifteen minutes before a woman walked up to them.

"Can I sit down?" she asked.

Dinah nodded. She gently sat Lauren up, and let her sleep against her shoulder.

"Ma, s'eep."

The lady frowned as she looked at the two girls. Dinah could see her girlfriend stand up and walk towards them.

"Are you one of those," the lady asked, in disgust.

"What?" Dinah asked, frowning.

Dinah looked down at Lauren to make sure she was sleeping before turning back to the other lady.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," the lady said, shaking her head.

"What are you talking about?"

"Is there a problem here?" Dinah heard Camila ask. The tall girl looked up, confused.

"I-I don't know."

"This woman is clearly taking advantage of that young girl," the lady said, pointing to Dinah.

"That woman is  _my_  girlfriend and that young girl is  _our_  daughter," Camila snapped, glaring at the lady.

The lady frowned, not sure what to say. She stood up and just walked away. Camila shook her head and sat down.

"All these people are making me mad," Camila said, shaking her own head.

"We are here for Lauren, okay?" Ally told her, "don't forget that."

"This makes me wonder how it must be with Shawn and Austin. They are guys and Lucy is a girl," Normani said, shaking her head.

"Our lives changed the second we got Lauren," Dinah said, nodding her head.

"She doesn't know anything else," Ally added, nodding her head.

"As long as Lauren is happy, everyone else can just-"

"Camila!"

-

Lauren looked down at the turtles.

"'ook, 'ur'le," Lauren said, pointing to the tortoise.

Someone laughed. "What a freak."

Lauren frowned and looked around. Ally saw people around Lauren's age, laughing at her. She walked up to the girl and grabbed her arm.

"What a retard," one of them said, laughing.

"Hey, shut the  _fuck_  up," Camila snarled, getting angrier by the second.

Lauren turned to Ally with tears in her eyes. "Mama?"

"What a baby."

"I said to shut up, or else," Camila threatened, taking a step towards them.

"Dinah, take Camila away, before she loses it," Normani ordered. She went to hug Lauren and pull her away. Dinah grabbed Camila by her shoulders and pulled her away.

Ally was left behind. She turned to the three teenagers. "You are all pathetic."

"At least we're not freaks."

"Better to be different than be someone without hearts," Ally said, walking away. Although there had been many people who ignored them and minded their own business, they had passed a lot of people who just had to make comments. And it hurt, because that was going to be Lauren's life.

Ally found Lauren crying into Normani's shirt while Camila angrily paced.

"You should have let me punch one of them. teach them that it's not okay to mess with people," Camila told them, fuming.

Ally walked up to her cousin and wrapped her arms around her. "It's okay. We'll protect Lauren."

Camila took a deep breath and nodded. Ally let her go and moved on to Lauren. She pulled the girl into her arms.

"You are smart, and sweet, and we love you. They don't know you. They don't matter. Just forget what they said. Want to get ice cream? I know a place they add cookies."

Lauren shrugged, staring at the ground. Ally lifted her chin to look at her.

"We all love you, okay?"

"'ove 'ou 'oo," Lauren whispered, nodding her head.

Ally sighed and kissed her temple. "Let's go get some ice cream."

 


	21. Real Kid

 

Ally sat up, "Oh my god, we're getting married in less than three months. We haven't done any planning!"

Normani turned over and looked at the clock.  _4:26 am_. "We can talk about this in the morning."

"We have so much to do!"

"You're going to wake-"

Lauren's cries could be heard through the baby monitor. Normani sighed and got off the bed. She started to walk towards Lauren's room, to find the girl sitting on her bed.

"What's wrong?" Normani asked, picking up the girl.

Lauren pulled at diaper and pointing to the baby monitor.

"Let's get you changed baby."

"Mommy, why 'eople 'ean?"

"I don't know baby. Sometimes people aren't happy and they take it out on others. Or they are scared of things they don't know."

"Mommy, I 'ove 'ou."

"I love you too baby. You are one of the best things to ever happen to me."

Lauren giggled. She let out a yawn.

"Let's get you back in bed, huh?"

"'es Mommy."

Normani picked the girl up and placed her on her bed. She made sure the bars were stable. "Mommy?"

"Yes Lauren?"

"S-swee' dweams," Lauren said, smiling like she was proud of herself.

Normani grinned and kissed her forehead. "Sweet Dream angel." She made sure Lauren was all tucked in before leaving the room.

She walking in to see Ally flipping through a book. The older girl looked up and smiled. "You are wonderful with Lauren. I can't wait to see you with our real kids."

Normani smiled and kissed her girlfriend. She got into bed and pulled her close. "I love you and I will love our future kids."

-

" _I can't wait to see you with our real kids._ "

Lauren frowned, hearing that.  _Real kids_.

Lauren wasn't their real kid. They didn't even see as one. And that hurt.

Lauren pressed Nala against her face, trying to keep the sobs at bay. She could feel her warm tears slip down her face, landing on the pillow.

She wanted to a real family. And she thought she got one. But now she wasn't so sure.

-

Camila opened the door. She found Lauren asleep on her bed. She smiled, but a frown when she saw dried tear tracks on her face. Camila unlocked the bars, letting them fall. She crouched down, and gently touched Lauren's shoulder.

"Lo? Baby?"

The young girl groaned. She opened her eyes, and looked at Camila. The girl blinked a few times. Camila watched as the girl's eyes welled up.

"Lauren, sweetie, are you okay?"

Lauren shook her head, tears in her eyes. Camila stood up and reached for the girl. Lauren shook her head and moved away.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

Lauren shook her head. "'o, I 'o 'eal 'id."

"What? Lauren, you are our real daughter. I love you. You are ours."

"'o," Lauren said, shaking her head. She held Nala tight.

"Who said that?"

Lauren pointed to the baby monitor.

Camila felt a flash of anger run through her veins. After the whole zoo thing, Camila felt like a short fuse. "How about we take you to your Ma?"

"'eal 'id?"

"You'll always be my daughter. You're my real kid," Camila told her, kissing her cheek. She picked her up and carried her to her room. She placed her on her bed with Dinah.

"Wha's goin' on?" Dinah asked, raising her head.

"Why don't you two listen to music? I need to talk to some people," Camila said, giving Dinah a look. The older woman sat up, grabbed her iPod and put an earphone in Lauren's ear.

Camila walked out and stormed into  _Normally's_ room.

"What the actual fuck?" Camila snapped, glaring at the two women in bed.

"Mila? What's going on?"

"You want to know what's going on? Lauren is crying because she heard you guys say she wasn't our real kid."

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't make myself clear? Lauren heard you guys talking last night!"

"I-I didn't mean it that way."

"It doesn't matter how you mean it! This is Lauren who we are talking about!"

"Camila, calm down," Normani whispered, standing up.

"I will not calm down!" Camila said, grabbing the first thing she could think of and throwing it against the wall.

Ally and Normani flinched. "Camila?"

"I'm done. You are going to talk to her. And you're going to buy some oneway baby monitors because I don't want you guys  _fucking_  her up anymore."

Camila turned and walked out, slamming the door on her way out.

-

"Shit."

"I know," Normani asked, shaking her head.

"We have to talk to her," Ally whispered, feeling bad for what she said. She never meant for Lauren hear what she said.

Normani offered a hand, and both went to Lauren's room, to find it alone.

"She's in my room," Camila said, leaning against the wall. Her face was red, and she was trembling.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Go deal with your problem," Camila said, walking away.

"I'm worried about her," Ally said, watching her cousin.

"Let's deal with Lauren first."

Ally nodded and walking towards  _Caminah_ 's bedroom. She opened the door to see Lauren scrolling through Dinah's iPod.

"Lo? Can we talk?" Normani asked, softly.

Lauren looked at Dinah who nodded.

"O'ay."

Dinah kissed her cheek and walked out, giving Normani and Ally a look. Both girls walked to the bed and sat on either side of the girl.

"About what you heard," Ally whispered, looking at the girl.

"'o 'eal 'id," Lauren whispered, looking at the ground.

"No, Lo, you are our real kid. You are as real to us as any kid could ever be," Ally said, rubbing the girl's back.

"Wha' 'ou mean?"

"What I meant was, biologically. Do you know what that mean?"

Lauren shook her head.

Normani took over then. "Clara and Michael Jauregui made you, they are your biological parents. And when I said real, I meant biological. And the kid is ours. As much as we wanted to, we have to share you. All four of us want to adopt you, but we can't. It's not allowed."

"I 'eal?"

"You are really real. And in the future, you'll have a brother or sister."

"'eally?"

"Really. Lauren, we love you. And sometimes we say things we don't mean. But we will always love you. And we'll remind you everyday if we have to."

"I 'ove 'ou 'oo. 'ou 'eal Mama, Mommy," Lauren said, nodding her head. "I fow'ive 'ou."

Both girls kissed her cheeks. "Never forget that you own our hearts."

"'es." Lauren giggled. "'ood?"

Normani laughed. "Let's go get our teeth brushed and eat."

-

Dinah watched the pancakes burn, before turning it. She turned to the table to see Lauren giggling. She looked over to see her own girlfriend glare at the table.

She had noticed Camila's mood diminish ever since the Zoo, and she didn't know how to help.

"Mami, 'ook," Lauren said, pointing at the smile she made on her pancake.

Camila looked at it, smiling. But Dinah could see that it didn't real her eyes like it used to. "That's great baby."

Dinah wanted to help, but she wasn't even sure what was going on.

"Dinah?" she heard. She looked over to see Ally talking to her.

"What?"

"Your pancake is burning."

"Oh,  _fuck_."

"Dinah!"

"Mama?"

"Don't you dare say it!"

 


	22. Purpose

 

Camila and Lauren were asleep on her bed. Camila told everyone she had a headache and took Lauren since the younger girl couldn't stay awake much longer. It left the remaining three women alone.

"Something is going on with Camila," Normani said, looking at the two faces in front of her.

"I know, but she hasn't told me anything," Dinah said, staring at the ground.

"She's been getting angry really quick. We have to find out what," Ally added.

Normani sat back on the couch. Camila had been acting weird for a few days, but it didn't get worse until their day at the zoo, but everyone assumed it was because of the ignorant people. But Camila exploded that morning, and it worried all of them.

"We have to talk to her, after she wakes up. She can't keep whatever it is bottled inside," Dinah suggested, clenching her teeth.

Normani could see how much it was bugging her. Out all the girls, her relationship with Camila wasn't the greatest. Dinah was her girlfriend. Ally was her cousin. Lauren was her daughter. Normani was just her friend. And as much as she loved the girl, that was what she was.

"I hope she talks to us," Normani whispered, staring at her hands.

Dinah looked up. "She will. She has to."

-

Camila opened her eyes. She stared at the ceiling, feeling Lauren breath next to her. The poor girl has spent a good portion of the night crying. She looked over to see the young girl curled up, Nala in her arms, pacifier in her mouth, wearing a cute onesie with the hood over her head.

Camila leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek.

Lauren muttered in her sleep, but kept on sleeping. Camila just smiled, feeling many things. She closed her eyes and sat back on her back. She just wanted to sleep and forget. Sleep and forget, it was all she wanted.

-

Ally and Normani walked back into the house, bags in their hands. Normani went to change the baby monitors, so they were oneway. She went to put the groceries away, to keep herself occupied while they waited for Camila to wake up.

Ally was almost done when she heard Lauren's giggling. Camila walked in with Lauren on her back, the young girl giggled.

Ally watched as Camila looked everywhere except at her.

"Hey, how was your nap?" Ally asked, keeping her eye on Camila.

"Fine."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Camila?"

" _I'm fine_ ," Camila snapped, glaring at Ally.

Lauren frowned and looked down at Camila.

"O'ay Mami?" Lauren's grip tightened, so she was hugging the girl.

Camila smiled, but it was small. "I'm fine Lolo. I'm just tired."

"Bu' we s'eep."

Dinah and Normani walked into the kitchen. They saw Camila and Lauren there. "Hey Lo, want to watch the Lion King while your moms and I talk?"

"Ev'y'ing o'ay?"

"Everything is okay baby, let's go get you comfortable, okay?" Dinah asked, grabbing Lauren and taking her to the living room. She gave the girl her iPad and placed a pair of earphones on her head. Ally watched as Lauren became captivated by the first five seconds.

Camila turned to walk away, but Normani stopped her.

"We need to talk to you," Normani told her.

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Mila," Ally tried.

"Everything is fine. Just leave it alone."

"What is going on Camila?" Dinah asked, walking towards her girlfriend.

Camila took a step away from her. "Nothing is wrong. Why can't you just leave it alone?"

"Because this isn't you. You are one of the happiest people I know, and this, this just isn't you," Dinah whispered, taking another step.

" _You don't know me_ ," Camila said between her teeth, her body trembling.

Ally looked at Normani, who looked scared.

"We've known each other since we were five. Ally has known you since you were born. You were my best friend before you were my girlfriend. Camila, I  _know_  you, and this isn't it."

"This isn't you," Normani added, frowning.

"People change."

"Camila, talk to us," Ally whispered.

"I feel like I have no purpose in life, is that what you want to hear? Is that going to make you feel better, to hear that I feel like I have nothing?"

"Camila?"

"I'm not good enough!"

"Mila?"

"Do you know what if feels like? To see all you have your lives figured out and I'm still here trying to figure out how to do something."

"Camila?"

"I feel worthless. You've all accomplished your dreams, and all I'm doing is stupid songs that won't go anywhere."

"You're songs aren't-"

"Of course you're going to say that. You have to. I love all of you, but none of your opinions matter. All I have going for me is Lauren, and I can't even protect her. I, I feel like I can't do anything right," Camila cried, looking up.

Ally could see the pain her eyes.

"Mami?" they heard, all of them turning over to see Lauren standing there, iPad at hand, and headphones around her neck. "Mami, o'ay?"

Camila wiped her eyes. "I'm fine."

Lauren walked up to her. "Up?"

The sad girl smiled. She picked her up and placed her on her lap.

"Mila, you are great. Your songs are great. You are great with Lauren. And we know you are going to do great things. Your songs are going to get out there. You will achieve your dream. You're Camila fuckin' Cabello, and you are going to get signed and you are going to be the best singer the world has ever heard," Normani said, having grabbed Camila's cheeks to make eye contact.

Camila's tears slipped out of her eyes like a waterfall. She nodded her head. "I'm sorry. I, I just, I just felt so  _angry_. And I couldn't control it."

Normani took Lauren from Camila's lap as Dinah pulled the girl into her arms. "Do you want to talk to someone about it?"

Camila nodded. She sobbed into Dinah's shirt, as the other's watch. Lauren wiggled in Normani's arms until she was set on the ground. She walked over to Camila and wrapped her arms around the girl. Ally and Normani joined, just letting Camila cry out her feelings.

-

Dinah ran her hand through her girlfriend's hair. She looked down to see her asleep. She looked around the living room to see Normani and Ally cuddling. Lauren was on the ground, Nala in one arm, pacifier in her mouth, and holding Camila's hand. The girl made sure she made contact with Camila at all times while watching Spongebob.

"Camila is going to be okay, right?" Dinah asked, turning to the other women.

"She has us," Ally said, smiling a bit.

"We are going to help in anyway we can. She's not alone, and you are not alone," Normani added. Both women turned back to the television.

Dinah just sat back and stared at the laughing sponge. She looked down at the girl she loved, smiling. They had been together since they were seventeen. It had been seven years. She stared at Camila's face, whole she thought about the ring she had hidden in her drawer.

_Soon._

 


	23. Princess Lucy and the Cookie Monster (part 1)

 

"She has nightmares almost every night. She'll only go back to sleep if someone sings to her and she has company. She goes to bed at nine. She loves brownies. Keana calls on Saturdays to talk to Lucy," Shawn named off, scratching the back of his neck.

"Shawn, we know. We have Lauren, remember? She's going to be fine," Camila said, smiling softly.

Dinah loved seeing that smile on her girlfriend's face. After their talk, Camila's mood had slowly lifted. She still had a temper. She was going to have her therapy session after the sleepover.

The second Lucy walked into the house, Lauren whisked her away. Lauren and Lucy were playing with Nala and Bambi, giggling to each other.

"We never left her before," Austin told them, a small laugh in her voice.

"She's going to be fine. We promise you," Dinah told them.

"We'll call when we land," Shawn said.

Dinah laughed, she could see that the two men didn't want to leave.

"Lucy, come say bye to your dads," Camila called out, grinning.

Two pair of footsteps rushed to the doorway.

"We love you Lucy. We will be back Sunday night. Be good to your aunts and Lauren, okay?"

"Yes Daddy, I love you," Lucy said, hugging Austin, before moving to Shawn. "Love you Papi."

Lauren rocked herself, while watching. Lucy took a step away and grabbed Dinah's hand. Lauren moved and wrapped her arms around Shawn and then Austin. "Bye U, Un'le 'awny, Un'le Ausie."

"Bye Niece Lauren," Shawn said, grinning.

"Take care of Princess Lucy, okay Niece Lauren?" Austin added, smiling.

"'es," Lauren said, saluting them.

"Good girl," Austin said, nodding his head. Both men kissed her cheeks, before doing the same to Lucy.

Lauren giggled and took Lucy away. Both men shook their head and walked away, hand-in-hand.

"Bye boys!" Dinah closed the door and walked up to Camila. She raised her chin to look into the girl's eyes. "And how are you doing?"

"I'm okay, honestly," Camila said, the light in her eyes back.

"I'm glad," Dinah whispered, pressing her lips against the girl.

"Ew," Lauren commented, frowning. Lucy was laughing next to her.

"Oh, you think that's gross?" Dinah asked, smirking at the girl.

Lauren's eyes widened. Dinah chased the girl who was squealing for Lucy. Dinah was soon under the weight of both girls, both of the laughing. She looked over and saw Camila watching with a smile. Dinah smiled at her.

-

Camila watched as both girls giggled. They had been changed and were in onesies. All six females were playing CandyLand. Lauren picked up a card and showed it to Lucy.

"Go gween," Lucy said, pointing to the next green block on the game. Lauren got her green character and moved him.

"'ou?"

"Me," Lucy said, nodding her head. She grabbed the card and went up to yellow spaces.

Camila smiled and leaned back into Dinah. She felt her girlfriend wrap her arms around her. Talking to someone had helped un-cloud her mind. Her anger wasn't as easily triggered. And she was working harder on her music.

She looked over at Ally who grabbed the Monopoly dog and moved it a few spaces. CandyLand only came with four pieces, and everyone wanted to play. So Ally and Normani got to get some Monopoly characters, the dog and top hat to be specific.

"Auntie Mani, potty," Lucy said, pouting.

Lauren leaned over and pressed her lips on the girl's cheek. "O'ay?"

Lucy nodded. "Wet."

Lauren grinned and looked back at the game board.

Normani picked Lucy up and walked to the bedrooms. Camila could hear Lucy talking to Normani, saying random things.

"Are you having fun?" Ally asked, looking at Lauren.

"'es, 'ucy s'ay 'o-'owever?"

Camila gave her smile. "Her Daddy and Papi would like her back."

"'o 'eep?"

"Sorry baby," Ally said, rubbing the girl's back.

Lauren let out a loud sigh, shaking her head.

"Mama, 'ucy s'eep wi' me?"

"Yeah, she's sleeping over," Camila told her.

"'appy," Lauren said, pressing her finger against each colored box on the board game, as if she was counting.

Normani came back and placed Lucy next to Lauren.

"My turn!" Dinah said, pushing Camila off her lap and moving to the board.

-

"Lucy, your dads are calling!" Ally shouted, as she held the phone. She smiled when she heard two pairs of footsteps run to her. Lucy took the phone and pressed it against her ear.

"Miss you Daddy," Lucy said, grinning. Lauren reached over and grabbed Lucy's hand. "Yes, I ated all my veggies. I good. Lauwie is good. I love you Papa."

Lucy extended her hand, offering Lauren the phone.

"'allo? 'i Un'le Ausy. P'incess 'ucy 'ood. W-we 'eep 'ucy? No wan' 'ive ba'." Lauren sighed. "O'ay. Bye."

Ally took the phone back and pressed it against her ear. "Hello?"

" _So, Lauren wants to keep Lucy?_ "

"She asked earlier, we told her you'd want her back."

" _We do. But tell her we want her to protect her. We'll give her a present if Lucy is returned to us._ "

"We'll let her know."

Austin and Shawn talked about what they had planned before hanging up. Lauren perked up.

"Mama, 'ookies pee?"

"Lets go get some cookies," Ally said, leading both girl to the kitchen.

-

Normani placed the sippy cups in front of each girl. Lauren already had two cookies in her mouth, while Lucy cracked her cookie and ate it.

She sat back, and watched. She could hear Camila's squeals from the living room, mixed with Dinah's laughter. She could hear Ally trying to get them to stop. Normani was glad she was deal with the actual children than the grown-up children. They were easier to deal with.

"'k 'u, 'my," Lauren said, her mouth filled with cookies. She had a cookie on either hand, chewing on the cookies.

Lucy looked up. "T'ank you." She smiled and turned back to her cookies.

Normani laughed, seeing the difference between the two girls. One was eating it, making no mess while the other was just shoving cookie and cookie into her mouth, the crumbs all over her mouth and table.

It was obvious, it was Princess Lucy and the Cookie Monster.


	24. Princess Lucy and the Cookie Monster (part 2)

 

"Goodnight," Ally whispered, kissing Lauren's forehead. She turned to Lucy and kissed her cheek as well.

Camila, Dinah, and Normani said their goodnights as well. Lucy smiled, liking how loving the women were. They walked out, leaving Lauren and Lucy alone.

"O'ay 'ucy?" Lauren asked in the dark.

"Yes Lauwie," Lucy answered, closing her eyes.

"O'ay," Lauren responded, her voice slipping. Lucy could hear Lauren's even breathing. She knew the girl was asleep.

Lucy sighed, before closing her eyes, falling sleep.

_Ten year old Lucy stared at the woman in front of her. She was holding up a red shirt, that was originally white._

_"How stupid are you?" the woman shouted, throwing the shirt to the ground._

_"I-I'm sorry. I-I d-didn't, I didn't see it," Lucy said, tears streaming down her face. Her face stung from the slap she recieved earlier._

_"Sorry isn't going to change all this back!"_

_Lucy let out a whimper. She felt someone grab her hair and start to pull it. She gripped her foster mother's hand trying to get her to release it. She was dragged to a closet and shoved inside._

_"Please!"_

_"You are going to stay there until I think you can leave. You deserve this Lucy."_

_"Lucy."_

"'ucy?"

Lucy shot up, tears in her eyes. She looked around, but couldn't see anything from the dark and tears. She felt someone wrap their arms around her.

"'ucy?"

"I' o'ay 'ucy. I 'aves 'ou," Lauren whispered, her arms around the girl. She pulled her close. Lucy closed her eyes, feeling her sobs at bay.

"I 'ave 'ou 'ucy. I 'ave 'ou."

Lucy gripped Lauren's shirt. She felt Lauren hold her tighter. "I' o'ay. I he'e."

Lucy nodded. She slowly fell asleep, feeling Lauren hold her.

-

Ally woke up that morning. She had woken up when she heard Lucy being restless, but then she heard Lauren, and knew Lucy would be okay. She kissed Normani's cheek before going to check on the girls. She found them sleeping on the bed. She smiled and went make breakfast for them.

Dinah and Normani brought in the girls. They were changed and had their teeth brushed. Camila followed behind.

"Did you sleep alright?" Ally asked, when everyone was sitting down.

"'es Mama, 'ucy 'ave 'igh'mawe," Lauren said, grabbed her pancake and taking a bite out of it.

"Are you okay?" Camila asked, looking at the girl.

The girl nodded. "Lauwie pwotect me."

The adults looked at Lauren to see her blushing.

"You are perfect," Dinah said, kissing her daughter.

"'ucy 'oo."

"Lucy is perfect too," Normani said, grinning.

Ally's phone rang. She looked at it and saw the name. "Lucy, it's for you."

The girl took and pressed it against her ear. "Hi? Mommy! I miss you. Lawie, my fwiend. Yes I good. Daddy and Papi at wowk. Mommy, Aunties nice. Yes I eat. Lawie pwotect me. I love you. Bye Mommy."

Lucy gave Ally the phone.

"Hello?"

" _Allyson?_ " she heard the other woman ask.

"Call me Ally. Your daughter is doing great. She's a sweet girl."

" _She's not my daughter anymore._ "

"You love her. You'd deal anything for her, even give her up. She'll always be your daughter."

Ally heard a small sob. " _Thank you. I love her so much. I miss her._ "

"And I know she misses you. Maybe we can meet one day."

Keana laughed. " _I'd love to meet Lauren. She sounds like a sweet girl._ "

Ally smiled. They said their goodbyes and hung up. She turned to see Lauren and Lucy feed each other.

She shook her head. She loved those girls.

-

Normani gave Lauren and Lucy their ice cream cones. The girls started to eat their cones. She shook her head, watching her messy eater devour her ice cream. Lucy watched Lauren with a grin.

"Why couldn't we get a princess?" Dinah asked, laughing.

Lauren looked up with a frown. "I no p'incess. I 'avio'."

"Lauwie, my pwotecto'," Lucy told everyone, glaring at them.

Lauren stuck out her tongue and went back to licking her ice cream.

Normani laughed. She looked over at the sundae she was sharing with Ally. She smiled as she started to eat some.

Normani looked around the ice cream parlor. She noticed a group of three women watching them. Normani felt a small fire in her grow, when she noticed that they weren't looking at them negatively. The two older ones had a small smile on their face, while the younger one was grinning.

"Did you see those women?" Normani whispered, turning back to the women around her table.

"Which ones?" Camila asked, looking around.

"The two brunettes and the blond," Normani asked, staring at Camila. That girl was the opposite of subtle.

"Yes," Ally answered, smiling. "Do you think they are like us?"

"Maybe," Dinah added.

Normani turned to see the blonde wipe the young brunette's mouth. "I think so too."

-

Lauren laughed, as she ran around the sand. Lucy was with Camila and Ally making a sand castle. The small family decided to make a trip to the beach.

Lauren seemed to like having the sand under her feet. Lucy wanted to make a castle for her kingdom, and the pair of cousins decided to help her. Dinah and Normani were given the job to keep an eye on their daughter. The two were told they were too impatient to make a castle. Neither of them denied that.

Dinah sat back and laughed as Lauren fell for the fifth time. Lauren stood up, dusted the sand off herself, and continued to run in a circle. "Ma! 'ash me!"

Normani pushed Dinah. "Go chase her."

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "You said we were in this together."

Normani shrugged. "I lied."

Dinah shook her head, took off her sandals and chased Lauren who giggled like a madwoman.

Dinah grabbed the girl and pulled her. "Caught you!" She started to tickle the girl, who squealed.

"'o! Ma!" Lauren kicked her legs, laughing. Dinah peppered the girl's cheek with kisses.

-

Camila patted the tower, before taking a step back. "We did it."

"Yes, t'ank you Auntie Mila, Ally."

Ally pulled the girl into her arms. She pressed her lips against Lucy's head. "You did great."

Camila hugged her niece. Lauren, who had been running around and tripped and fell on the castle, destroying it.

"Fuck!" Camila exclaimed, seeing all their hard work destroyed.

Lucy ran to Lauren. "You 'kay Lauwie?"

"I o'ay," Lauren answered, standing up and dusting the sand off her clothes. She took off running.

Lucy turned to Ally. "What is  _fuck_?'

Ally turned to glare at Camila. "You have no filter."

"Oops?"


	25. Princess Lucy and the Cookie Monster (part 3)

 

Lauren woke up from Lucy's nightmares again. Her best friend was crying. Lauren rubbed her arm and held her close. "O'ay?"

"I with you, yes," Lucy answered, snuggling close to the younger girl.

Lauren smile and pulled her close. "W-we go s'ide?"

Lucy frowned. "You scawed?"

"'ake 'ou 'appy," Lauren answered, smiling.

Lucy sighed and pressed herself against the other girl. "Love you Lauwie."

"'ove 'ou 'oo 'uce," Lauren whispered, before falling asleep.

-

Dinah flipped through the channels. She stopped on  _Wreck It Ralph_. Both girls were eating cereal on the ground. Once they saw the film, they stopped talking and started to watch it

Dinah sat back and ate her own cereal. The other girls were still sleeping. She looked at Lauren, to see a look of awe on her face. Those moments made Dinah sad. Lauren shouldn't have a look of awe when she sees everyday things. It just showed what her parents kept from her.

Lauren pulled at Dinah's leg. "'andy?"

"You want candy?"

Lauren nodded. "'es. 'andy. Pee?"

"Please," Dinah said, smiling at the girl.

Lauren frowned. "P-p'ease?"

"We'll get both of you candy," Dinah said, feeling pride.

"Ma, I," Lauren started, before looking at Lucy. "I wan' s'ide."

"You want to go on a slide?"

"'es."

"But you don't like them," Dinah said confused. She watched as Lucy put her bowl down and grabbed Lauren's hand.

Lucy got Lauren's attention and shook her head.

Lauren turned back to Dinah. "I 'o wanna be s'awed."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Dinah tried, frowning her eyebrows.

"I 'aves 'ou an' Mommy an' Mama an' Mami an' 'uce. I be o'ay," Lauren said, nodding her head.

"You no have to," Lucy said, shaking her head.

"I 'aves 'oo."

Dinah moved so she was sitting on the ground with the girls. "Why do you have to?"

"I, I p'otect P'incess 'ucy's. I be 'igh-n-kn," Lauren stuttered, frowning.

"Knight?"

"'es, I be P'incess 'ucy's knigh'. I 'ave 'o feaw," Lauren said, grinning.

Dinah awed and shook her head. "Okay. We'll go to the park later. You'll beat the slide."

Lauren nodded her head. "I bea' s'ide."

Dinah laughed and shook her head. "All right children. Finish you cereal so we can wake everyone."

Both girls started to shovel the food into their mouths.

Dinah smirked.

-

Camila looked up at Lauren, who had paled. Lucy was holding her hand. "It 'kay Lauwie, I hewe."

Lauren nodded. She took a step towards the slide. Very slowly, she sat down. She looked around before taking a deep breath.

Camila took a step forward, to make sure the girl was going to be okay. Lucy kissed Lauren's cheek. The younger girl pushed herself and slid down the slide. Dinah, who was at the bottom, stopped the girl from sliding off.

Lauren stood up and grinned. Lucy slid down after Lauren and once she reached the bottom, she hugged Lauren. 

"You did it!" Lucy squealed, hugging the other girl.

"'es!"

Camila laughed, shaking her head.

Lauren looked at Camila. "Mami, 'andy s'owe?"

"Candy store?"

"I kind of promised them we'd check out a candy store when we were watching  _Wreck It Ralph_ ," Dinah told them, giving them a smile.

"And why would you do that?" Ally asked, giving the woman a look.

"You try saying no to them," Dinah shot back. Ally shook her head. She rounded up the girls and started to herd Lauren, Lucy and Dinah to the car.

Camila and Normani started to follow behind.

"How are things?" Normani asked, giving the shorter girl a smile.

"Good, I've, uh, things are getting better," Camila responded, nodding her head.

"Good to hear. So, listen, Dinah has a Teacher Dinner thing, and I told her to take Ally," Normani told her.

Camila frowned, not knowing about the dinner. She knew they existed and went the year before, but Dinah hadn't told her about the dinner. "She didn't tell me about the dinner."

"It's not for another few days. And I kind of wanted to babysit Lauren with you. If you want," Normani offered, shyly.

Camila nodded. "Okay, yeah."

She looked at the others to see Lauren open the door for Lucy. "My P'incess."

Camila laughed, shaking her head. She got in the car behind them.

-

Ally laughed when she saw Lauren walk up to her with a handful of lollipops. Ally shook her head. She grinned.

"That's too much," Ally told her, nodding her head.

Lauren looked down at the dozens of lollipops, before pouting.

"Lauwie, chocey?" Lucy asked, holding up the a chocolate bar.

Lauren shook her head. "'o 'ike."

"You don't like chocolate?" Ally asked, frowning. "But you like the cookies."

"'es 'ookies. 'o 'oco'a'e," Lauren answered, looking down at the treats.

"Good to know. Lo, you can have two," Ally told her, expecting a tantrum, but the girl just nodded her head.

She grabbed two green ones and ran away. Lucy giggled, when Lauren reached her. Lucy kissed the girl's cheek.

Lauren blushed. Lucy picked two candy bars and they were ready to leave.

They went to McDonalds after. Lucy and Lauren played with the Super Mario toys. Lauren grabbed the nugget and bit it, grinning. Lucy bit into her hamburger, getting ketchup and mustard on her face.

Lauren turned over and giggled. She grabbed a napkin. Ally half-expected Lauren to clean the mess on her face, but Lauren just handed Lucy the napkin.

Ally shook her head, going to eat her own food. She turned her head, only to have fries be shoved into her mouth. Lauren and Lucy giggled, before turning back to the toys.

-

There was a knock on the door. Normani stood up and went to open the door, finding both men standing at the other side.

"Hey Mani," Shawn greeted, his arm around Austin.

"Hey guys, have a good trip?"

Austin shrugged. "It was okay, but it would have been better if we had Lucy with us. We missed her too much."

Normani laughed. "Come in. Lucy is taking a bath."

Nodding, both men entered. They sat down on the couch.

Normani could see what they were looking at, Bambi and Nala were tucked in the corner.

She heard giggled. The three turned to see the other occupants walk back to the room.

"Papi! Daddy!" Lucy exclaimed, struggling to be let down. Once the girl's feet touched the ground, she ran to her fathers. Both men hugged her, having her in the middle. They kissed her cheeks.

"We missed you," Shawn whispered, kissing her cheek.

Austin pulled her onto his lap. "Were you good?"

"Vewy good," Lucy answered, puffing out her chest.

"P'otect me," Lauren answered from Dinah's arms.

"Lauwie is my bestest fwiend," Lucy said, grinning.

"We are glad that you had fun," Shawn responded, smiling. Both men stood up, placing Lucy on the ground. "Say bye, we're going home."

"'o," Lauren said, shaking her head.

"Lucy has to go home baby," Dinah said, placing the girl on the ground.

Lauren ran to hug Lucy. "'o, s'ay, p'eas."

"She can't. She has to go," Normani added, hugging Lucy.

The girl hugged everyone, before stopping at Lauren.

"Love you Lauwie. I come back."

"P'ease," Lauren said, tears in her eyes.

Lucy wrapped her arms around Lauren. "T'ank you. I love you"

"'o," Lauren whispered, shaking her head.

Shawn and Austin hugged everyone. The older of the two picked their daughter up.

Lauren followed them to the door. Normani closed the door, watching as Lauren's tears slipped out of her eyes. "Miss 'uce," Lauren whispered.

Normani picked the girl up. Lauren hid her face against Normani's neck. She could feel her neck get wet from her daughter's tears.

"She'll be back. You'll see her again. It'll be okay," Normani whispered, rubbing the girl's back. "It's going to be okay."

 


	26. Who Are You Going to Call

 

"We are her mothers, she's going to be okay," Normani said, rolling her eyes.

"But you two have never babysat together. We don't know how you two are going to be," Ally answered.

"Puh-lease, Normila is going to do great," Camila responded, smirking.

"Whatever, just, make sure she's still in one piece when we get home, okay?"

Camila sighed. "Do you not trust us? She's going to be okay. Now, go. You're going to be late."

"Okay. Lauren!" There was a pair of running feet. Lauren jumped into Ally's arms and kissed her cheek.

"Bye Mama," she whispered, before going to Dinah. "Bye Ma."

"You are so adorable," Dinah whispered, pressing her lips against the young girl's cheek.

"We will be back, okay?"

"'es."

"Take care of your Mommy and Mami, okay?"

"O'ay. I a Knigh'," Lauren said, grinning. After the sleepover with Lucy, Lauren was quiet and sad. It took a little coaxing, but they were able to get their daughter back to how she was.

"We are heading out. We will see all of you later," Ally said, walking out with Dinah. They closed the door, leaving Camila, Normani and Lauren all alone.

"Now what?"

"'ovies?"

"Let's go burn our eyes," Camila said, grinning. She led Lauren to the couch.

Normani shook her head. She followed behind. Lauren was sitting between them, hold both their hands.

-

_Lauren looked around. It was dark. There was a door in front of her. "'allo?" she called out, frowning. "Mommy? Mami?"_

_No answer._

_She slowly walked towards the door. She reached for the doorknob and turned it. She looked inside, her green eyes connecting with bright red ones. She saw sharp white teeth appear._

_It slowly inched out of the closet, Lauren taking steps back._

_It opened it's mouth._

Lauren screamed, opening her eyes. She could feel her diaper wet, as she looked around the room. It was dark, and she could see closet door.

"Mommy! Mami!" Lauren cried, hugging her Nala close.

-

Upon hearing the scream, both Camila and Normani ran out of their rooms and into Lauren's. They turned on the light to see Lauren sitting on her bed, crying her eyes out. Quickly, the lowered the bars and sat on the bed with the girl.

"Lo, are you okay?" Camila asked, stroking her hair.

Lauren shook her head, crying.

"Calm down Laur. You're okay. Calm down please, you're going to make yourself sick," Normani told her, rubbing the girl's back.

Lauren shook her head, her cries still shaking her body. She seemed to be choking on her cries, as she just shook her head.

Camila and Normani looked at each other. They held the girl as she cried, whispering soothing words. Slowly, but surely, Lauren started to calm down.

"Are you okay?" Camila asked when she saw Lauren had stopped sobbing.

The girl shrugged, holding both their hands tightly.

"Are you wet?" Normani questioned, seeing the girl shift.

Lauren nodded her head. Together, Normani and Camila cleaned and changed Lauren. The girl seemed tired, the crying taking a lot out of her.

"You must be tired, why don't you close your eyes and sleep?" Camila whispered, hoping the girl went back to sleep.

But Lauren shook her head, fear in her eyes. Camila and Normani looked at each other, wondering what was happening.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Camila asked, placing a hand on the girl's knee.

Lauren cuddled with Nala and nodded her head.

"Do you want to tell us?" Normani suggested, rubbing her back.

"Mons'er," Lauren answered, pointing to the closet.

"Oh baby," Normani whispered, "there's no-"

Camila shook her head. Normani was confused, but nodded.

"Baby, we are going to get our monster gear and be right back, okay?" Camila said, smiling at the girl. She saw Lauren nod. She turned to Normani and signaled for them to leave the room.

"What's the plan?" Normani asked, wanting to know.

"Sofi was scared of the monster in the closet too. And no matter how many times I told her, she'd always believe. So one day, I 'got rid' of the monster, and she wasn't scared anymore. So I think we should do that with Lauren. Just kick the monster's butt," Camila said, smirking. She hadn't seen her sister in some time, and she missed her. Her sister was now thirteen, and growing up to be a sweet teen. She knew the girl would get along with Lauren. She was too sweet not to.

"Okay, so what's the  _monster gear_?" Normani questioned, liking the idea.

"A broom, mop, anything we can use to get rid of an intruder."

"Let's do this."

They changed into jumpsuits they had used a few Halloweens back. Camila called dibs on the broom, saying it was less heavy, leaving Normani with the mop. They walked back into Lauren's room, to see her curled up on her bed.

"We are going to kick him out. You'll be safe, okay?" Normani told the girl, before going into the closet with Camila.

-

Lauren watched both women enter the closet.

"Leave our Lolo alone!" Camila shouted.

Lauren heard a few bangs. She flinched when she heard Camila groan.

"Hey, no!" Normani exclaimed.

There were a few more bangs.

She saw Camila fall out of the closet. She huffed, grabbed the broom and stormed back in.

"Don't touch me!"

Lauren hugged Nala closer. She bit her lip as she heard more bangs. She heard the weapons hit something. There was a yelp.

"That's it, leave!"

Normani fell out the closet. She tried to crawl away, but she was dragged back in.

Lauren whimpered, closing her eyes. She could feel the tears in her eyes.

She heard Normani yell. There were multiple bangs.

Lauren opened her eyes when she heard nothing. She uncurled herself, when she heard Camila's voice.

"Leave and don't come back! That's it!"

"You're lucky Lauren didn't fight you! She'd win for sure!"

The closet door opened fully. Inside were just Camila and Normani and clothes.

"The monster is gone. He's not coming back," Camila said, a cut on her lip and the area around her eye turning blue.

"You're safe," Normani told her, a cut on her cheek and on her forehead.

"'o 'owe?" Lauren asked, slowly moving off the bed. Her Nala was still pressed against her chest.

Camila shook her head. "No more. How about we go watch some television?"

"'ing 'ion 'ing?" Lauren asked, looking at them.

"We'll sing for you," Normani told her, grinning.

-

Ally opened the door, letting Dinah walk in front of her. They heard the television on, and shook her head. Dinah walked to the couch while Ally locked up.

Ally gasped, seeing Normani and Camila all banged up. The gasp woke the girls up.

"Wha's goin' on?" Camila asked, her voice groggy.

"We're home. What happened to you guys? Did you get into a fight?" Ally asked, frowning. She could the area around Camila's eye get darker.

"We got rid of the monster," Normani asked, her eyes closing.

"What monster?" Dinah asked, grinning.

"The monster in Lolo's closet," Camila responded, shifting to make herself comfortable.

Dinah laughed, shaking her head. Lauren let out a whine, but didn't wake up. Ally watched as Camila and Normani fell back to sleep.

"Well, I'm going to bed, if you want to join me," Dinah said, smirking.

"Night," Camila muttered.

Dinah shook her head and walked out. Ally just watch the three girls, smiling. She went to bed, leaving the two Monster Busters and their daughter in the living room.

 


	27. Dates and Meetings

 

"Normani or Ally," a blond curly haired question, a dark haired, slightly short girl standing next to her.

Normani looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I'm Normani Hamilton," she said, standing up. She stood up and shook both their hands. She signaled for the two girls to sit down in the booth with her.

Both girls sat down. "I'm Tori Kelly, and this is Alessia Cara."

Normani smiled. She looked to her side to see Lauren coloring on the kids menu.

"Is this Ally?" Alessia asked, smiling.

"No, Ally went to the restroom. This is Lauren. Can you say hi Lo?"

Lauren looked up at the two women, shrugging. "'allo," she said, before going back to her coloring. Lauren had just discovered colors and loved them. In the last few days, a dozen of drawing, coloring book pages wound up on the refrigerator. Some were even hanging off the walls. Lauren would beam when the girls would compliment the drawings.

She gave them a smile, but went back to color in the maze. Normani shook her head. Lauren was just coloring everything. The word search box was all green.

"Oh," Tori said, surprised. "You have pretty eyes."

"'ank 'ou," Lauren responded, not looking up from her blue maze.

"Hi!" Ally said, sitting down on the both next to Normani. "I'm Ally Hernandez. You've met my fiancée Normani and our daughter Lauren?"

"'allo Mama," Lauren muttered, changing her blue crayon for the red one.

"Daughter?" Alessia asked, frowning.

Normani knew it was weird. Normani and Ally weren't all that old. If they were to have a child, they would be a child they would be younger than Lauren.

"Yeah, our babygirl," Normani said, staring at the faces of the girls. Their reaction of Lauren was going to tell them everything. The two girls should already know something was different with Lauren's speech.

"'es, Mommy an' Mama," Lauren said, still not paying attention.

"We took her in. She's special," Ally said, a huge smile on her face. Normani smiled, knowing the love she held for the younger girl.

"That's cool. She seems happy," Alessia said, nodding her head.

"Hello, I'll be your waitress for today. Can I take your order?"

All the girls, minus the destracted one, nodded. Each one ordered what they wanted with Normani ordering Lauren's food, who was still coloring.

"I guess we should tell you what we wanted to talk to you about," Ally said, getting nods from everyone around the table. "As I said earlier, Normani and I are engaged. And we wanted to have live music. We came across a  a video of you two singing and we were wondering if you'd like to perform at our wedding. We'd pay you and everything."

Tori and Alessia looked at each other. Alessia nodded her head. "We'd love to. Do you know when the wedding is going to be? Is there a list of songs you'd want?"

"We'll email you a list. You wouldn't have to sing all of them. And if you have your own songs you'd like to perform, we would be more than okay with that," Normani told them, smiling.

"The wedding is in about two months. July 27th. It's a Thursday, but it was the anniversary of when we started our relationship. Would you be able to perform on that day?" Ally asked.

Tori nodded her head. "It will be fine."

"You two are invited for the ceremony, if you two want. You don't have to go," Normani added, grabbing Ally's hand under the table.

"Thank you," Tori told them, smiling.

Just then the waitress walked up to them with their drinks. Normani was glad the kid's menu came with kid's cups. Lauren looked up from her coloring. "'nk 'ou." She looked back down.

Normani looked at the menu to see many different colors scattered around.

"How old are you?" Tori asked Lauren, who looked up.

The young girl frowned. She looked at Normani. "Sixteen. You're sixteen."

"I sis'een," Lauren said, grinning. She turned to Tori. "I, uh, 'ame 'auwen."

"It's nice to meet you Lauren. I'm Tori and this is Alessia."

"'owi, Ah-ess'a," Lauren said, nodding her head. "'allo."

Alessia laughed and smiled. "You are so cute."

Lauren shrugged. "I 'ow."

Ally's eyes widened. "Did she just say  _I know_?"

Normani laughed and nodded her head. "She did. What is Dinah teaching her?"

Ally shrugged. "I don't know."

Their food then came in. Normani had to make sure Lauren ate. The girl really liked coloring.

-

Sand under their feet. Sun above their head. Hands swinging back and forth. It was a perfect date. Camila and Dinah walked down the beach.

"How is your eye?" Dinah asked, turning to Camila.

"It's better. Doesn't hurt as much," Camila answered, grinning.

Dinah laughed. "I can't believe Normani elbowed you."

"We were trying to protect Lolo!"

"By fighting in the closet? Speaking of, it took you seventeen years to come out of one, why would you want to go back in?"

Camila laughed. Dinah smiled. Camila's laughter was one of three favorite sounds. The other two were Lauren's laughter and the sound Camila makes when they are in bed together.

"Hey, it worked with Sofi. Lauren hasn't been scared since," Camila said, giggling.

"Whatever you say. I love you though," Dinah told her, turning to Camila.

The shorter girl smiled. "I love you too. You made my dark times light up."

"And you are too cheesy."

Camila rolled her eyes. "Shut up and kiss me." She grabbed the collar of Dinah's shirt and kissed her.

-

"Aww 'one," Lauren said, holding up her colored menu. Ally and Normani looked at it. They shook their heads. It looked like the five colors in her small box threw up on the page.

"It's really nice Laur," Normani told her, kissing her head.

Ally smiled. She looked across the table to see Alessia and Tori watching with smiles on their own faces.

Lauren turned to the two women. "'ow 'ou," she said, handing them the menu.

Tori took it and looked at it. She laughed. "This is the best thing I've ever seen. I love it," she told Lauren, who perked up.

"'eally?"

"Really. We are so hanging this on our fridge, aren't we?"

Alessia nodded her head. "It's going to be the prettiest thing we have."

Lauren beamed at her mothers. "Mama, Mommy, dey 'ike me."

"We do like you. If your mothers didn't like you so much, we'd kidnapped you."

"'eally," Lauren said, excitement in her voice.

"Yes really. You are the most adorable thing we've ever met," Alessia told her.

"Really adorable," Tori agreed, nodding her head.

Lauren smirked. "'es."

The older women laughed, shaking their heads.

"Lauren's other mothers, my cousin and her girlfriend want to take her out for ice cream while Mani and I continue to get things ready for our wedding," Ally said, standing up.

Alessia and Tori slid out of the booth, frowning. "Other mothers?"

"Ally's cousin, Camila and her girlfriend Dinah, we all live together. We're all raising her. They are also her mothers."

"Makes sense, sort of. Not judging," Tori said, raising her hands.

Normani pulled Lauren out the booth and held her hand. Ally reached for their bags, before facing the other two women.

"Thank you," Ally said, smiling. She hugged the women, followed by Normani and Lauren.

Lauren received a kiss on her cheek from both women.

Lauren waved as they walked out.

"I think the wedding is going to turn out great," Normani said, after Lauren was buckled in and she was in the passenger seat.

"It's going to be great," Ally responded, driving off to their home.

 


	28. Too Easy

 

Lauren was a good girl. But she had her moments.

-

Dinah could hear a ball hit the ground. "Lo, don't play with the ball in here. Go outside."

There was silence. A few seconds there was a bouncing ball again. "Lauren!"

"O'ay"

Dinah looked into the pan when she heard a crash. She quickly ran to the living room to see Lauren standing over a broken vase, a ball rolling away from her. She grabbed the girl and sat her on the couch. "Stay here while I clean."

Lauren nodded and stayed on the couch while Dinah cleaned the broken glass. Once she was sure most of them were gone, she turned to Lauren who was watching.

"I told you multiple times to not bounce that ball in here. You could have been hurt," Dinah told her, sitting down next to the girl.

"'owwy."

"I know you are, but you still have to have a time out, okay?"

"P'eas, 'o," Lauren whispered, looking up with tears in her eyes.

"You were bad Lauren. It won't be too long, okay? You just have to sit there for ten minutes. Then you can go outside to play with your ball. Okay?"

Lauren nodded. "O'ay."

Dinah got a chair and placed it at the corner. She then made Lauren sit there and put a timer on her phone. She went to continue dinner while Lauren served her punishment.

At the ten minutes, Lauren ran to Dinah and hugged her. "I 'owwy."

"It's okay. Next time you don't listen to one of us, it'll be longer, okay?"

"'es Ma."

-

Camila entered the living room to see Lauren surrounded by toys and crayons. "Lolo, it's time for your nap, put your things away."

Lauren looked up from her piano. "'o."

"Lauren," Camila tried again, giving her a stern look.

"'o s'eep."

"Lauren, you need your nap or you'll be cranky all day."

"'o 'ap. P'ay," Lauren told her, going back to playing with her piano.

Camila walked over to the girl and crouched down in front of her. "Lauren, I am your Mami, and you are going to listen to me."

"'o."

"You are taking a nap whether you want to or not," Camila told her, sternly.

Lauren glared at her. "'o."

Camila started to grab Lauren's toys and placing them in the box they bought for her stuff.

"'o!" Lauren pushed Camila.

Camila wasn't expecting it. The forced caused her to fall down.

Lauren stared with wide eyes. "M-Mami?"

Camila stood up and stared at the girl. She felt a flash of anger, but she pushed it down. "Lauren Michelle, you don't push. You listen to your mothers because they know what is best for you. You are going to sit in the corner until I tell you you can leave, okay?"

Lauren's eyes filled with tears.

"Lauren, do you understand?" Camila asked, not raising her voice.

"'e-es Mami. I 's'and," Lauren said, looking to the ground. Camila placed her hand under the girl's chin. She felt Lauren flinch.

"You can't push people, okay? Do you remember when you had your time out with Dinah? You'll have to stay there for twenty minutes and think about what you did. And if you push or hit any of us again, you'll get a spanking," Camila said, before leading her to the corner.

Lauren sighed as she sat down on the chair Camila gave her.

She sat there for ten minutes. Camila told her she could move. The young girl jumped into Camila's arms and cried. "'owwy Mami. I 'owwy."

"It's okay baby, it's okay. Let's go get your things cleaned up and get you ready for your nap, okay?"

"'es, o'ay."

-

Ally and Normani were at the park with Lauren. "You can go play, just stay where we can see you, okay?"

Lauren nodded and ran to the play structure. Ally and Normani stayed under a tree, talking about their wedding. As it got closer, they were getting more and more excited. They had the act, they had the courses. They were going to get their dresses soon.

Ally looked up, but didn't see Lauren anywhere. She stood up. "Where's Lauren?"

Normani scanned the park, but saw no one.

"Lauren!" Normani shouted, looking around. She got no response. Both girls rushed to the play structure, but it was empty.

"Where is she?" Ally asked, her face pale. Normani could feel her heart beat against her chest.

"We'll split up," Normani suggested. Ally nodded and both went to the opposite ends of the park.

Normani found Lauren not far. The girl was on her knees, looking into a small pond. There were ducks all over. "Lauren!"

The girl turned and grinned. "Mommy, 'ook!"

Normani ignored what she said. She crouched down next to her. "Lauren, we told you to stay where we could see you."

"Bu' Mommy."

"No, we're going home," she said, standing up.

Lauren shook her head. "'o, s'ay."

"Lauren Michelle, we are going home."

"'o!"

Normani grabbed the girl, but Lauren started to thrash around. She kicked her legs. The bag of her foot slammed into Normani's shin, causing her to drop the girl in pain.

"Ow! Lauren!"

The girl looked up at Normani with tears in her eyes. "'o Mommy."

"Let's go," Normani said, trying to keep her voice even.

Lauren stood up and followed Normani to the car where they met with Ally.

Once inside the car, Normani turned to Lauren. "Do you remember what Camila said would happen if you pushed or hit again?"

"'es," Lauren responded in a small voice.

"What did she say?"

"I be span'ed," Lauren answered, staring at her hands.

"I hope you know I don't want to do this, but you can't do that."

"O'ay Mommy."

Normani nodded. Ally started to drive the car.

-

Once they reached the house, Normani carried Lauren to her bedroom. Ally followed behind. She knew it was going to be hard on both of them.

Normani placed Lauren on the ground. She quickly stripped the girl from the waist down. She made her lay across her lap.

Ally bit her lip, as she watched Normani mentally prepare herself.

"I love you Lauren."

Ally flinched when she heard Normani's hand hit flesh. It happened nine more times. She could hear Lauren sob. She opened her eyes to see tears in Normani's eyes.

Once it was done, Normani pulled Lauren off her lap and had her stand in front of her. "I'm sorry I had to do that."

Lauren nodded her head. Normani hugged the girl. "Let's go put something on you so it doesn't hurt, okay? "

"O'ay," Lauren whispered, her voice cracking.

Normani kissed her forehead. "I love you."

Ally watched as Normani rubbed ointment on the girl to help with the stinging. She watched as Normani delicately dressed the girl and carried her to her to the living room. There, she put a movie on. Lauren curled up next to Normani.

Lauren fell asleep pretty quickly.

"How are you doing?" Ally asked, grabbing Normani's hand.

"It was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"She was warned, but she still did it."

"She's never been bad."

"She hasn't been around too long. She's is coming out of her shell completely. She was bound to be bad. Things were too easy."

Normani nodded. "Hopefully we don't have to do this again."

"Lauren is a child. I think it will happen again. It's part of growing up."

-

The five were sitting around the dinner table when Camila's phone rang. She answered it.

"Hello?"

" _Hello Ms. Cabello, I am calling on behave of Syco._ "

 


	29. Tell the Moon

 

"Calm down," Dinah whispered, looking at Camila.

The Cuban born girl shook her head. "How can I be calm? Simon Cowell wants to me meet with me.  _The_  Simon Cowell."

"It's going to be great," Dinah whispered grabbing her girlfriend hand.

"Do you think it's okay we came too?" Ally asked, holding Lauren close to her. The girl was falling asleep on Ally's lap.

"You're my family. I want you there too. Whatever happens in there is going to change all our lives. He needs to know what he's taking on," Camila said, sounding sure of herself for the first time.

"You've got this Camila," Normani said, winking at her.

"Ms. Cabello, and company," the receptionist said, staring at them.

Camila took a deep breath. She had to be ready. This was it. The moment she was waiting for. Camila walked into the office, head high, her family behind her.

There, Simon sat behind a desk. He smiled when he saw the group. He stood up and walked toward them.

"  _Karla Camila Cabello_ ," he said, his British accent butchering her name. If Camila wasn't so nervous, she would have corrected him. But she couldn't get her mouth to work. She just shook his hand. "And is this your family?"

Camila nodded, her voice still not working.

"I'm her girlfriend, Dinah Jane Hansen," the Polynesian girl said, extending her hand. The other man shook it, smiling.

"Ally Brooke Hernandez, her cousin."

"Normani Kordei Hamilton, her best friend along with these girls."

Simon turned to Lauren, who looked around the room. She found a couch and went to lay down it, trying to get comfortable.

"That's Lauren Michelle," Camila said, her voice finally working. "She's my daughter."

"Daughter?" Simon asked, frowning.

Camila then went on to tell him what they had been through the last few days. The man listened with rapt attention.

"That's interesting. Never heard that story before," he said, moving back to his desk. The other girls followed. Normani grabbed Lauren and sat her on one of the chairs. The girl whimpered.

Simon opened his desk and took out a small stuffed octopus. He gave it to Lauren with a smile.

Lauren's eyes widened, as she took it. "'nk 'ou."

"My son loves that toy," Simon said, before turning his attention to Camila. "So, we are here to talk to you about a music career."

Camila nodded her head.

"You have a unique voice, and I know you'll be able to do something about it. I am glad we are the first to find you. We'd like to test you out a bit, maybe get a song out, under contract of course."

"R-really?" Camila asked, her eyes wide.

"There is something special about you Karla," he said.

"I actually go by  _Cam-eela_ ," she said, emphasizing the name.

"Camila, got it. Well, we'd like you to get you in a booth soon and have you do your thing. Have you written anything?"

"She has amazing songs. Lauren loves them," Ally gushed, grinning.

Simon nodded, turning to Camila. "How about we go down to the booth today, and you sing something."

"Do you have a guitar?"

-

Simon stood in the booth with his eyes closed as he heard Camila sing. He could hear the emotions behind every word. He could feel what she was trying to say. He knew then and there, he found gold. He found his next star. He felt someone touch his arm.

His opened them and looked into emerald eyes. He smiled, seeing Camila's daughter staring at him.

"Yes?"

"'ou o'ay?" Lauren asked, frowning.

"I'm fine. I was just listening to your mother sing," Simon said, pointing to Camila who was singing with her eyes closed, her hand strumming the guitar.

"Mami 'ood. "ike Mami's 'inging," Lauren said, nodding her head.

"I like it too. Would you like to hear her song on the radio?"

Lauren shrugged. "'o 'ow wha' dat is."

Simon nodded. He kind of guessed Lauren wouldn't know what that was. But he saw the girl's light up.

A few minutes later, they were all back in the office. Simon had a stack of paper in front of him.

"Well Camila, I want you under my label. This is your contract. I want you to take it home and read through it. Hire a lawyer. Come back when you are ready," he said, smiling.

Camila's eyes watered, as she stared at the contract. She took it. Simon stood up and walked towards the girls. Camila stood up.

Simon wrapped his arms around her. "I really do hope you sign with Syco. We'd be lucky to have you."

"Thank you," Camila whispered, hugging him back. She moved back. Dinah, Normani and Ally tackled him with a hug, making him lose his balance. He laughed.

He turned to Lauren, who was still playing with the octopus. He walked to her and crouched down.

"Hi."

"'allo," she responded, giving him her attention.

"I want your mami to work with me. And if she does, you'll be welcome here anytime."

"'eally? I see 'im 'gain?" Lauren asked, holding up the octopus.

Simon nodded. "He might even have a friend next time that can go home with you."

Lauren's eyes lit up. "'es! 'nk 'ou!" Lauren hugged him.

Simon laughed. After the hugs were done and over with, he walked them out.

He had a good feeling about Camila Cabello. He just did.

-

Once the girls were in the car, Camila let her emotions out. She let out a scream, making everyone jump. Lauren looked at her with a glare. "'o!"

The girls started to laugh. Camila dropped back.

"How do you feel?" Normani asked, looking at her.

"At the top of the world," she said, grinning. "I can't believe this is happening. I got offered a contract. I get to share it with all of you."

"I knew you could do it," Dinah whispered, leaning toward the girl and giving her a kiss.

"'o 'iss! 'o scweam. Shh," Lauren said, glaring. "I s'eep."

Dinah shook her head. How she loved that little girl. But she was getting sassier by the second.

"Alright then. Let's go home. Let the princess here sleep," Dinah said, smiling.

Lauren stared at Dinah with narrowed eyes. "'ood," she said.

"I swear, that girl is something."

The other women laughed, while Lauren reached for Nala that was left in the car for the meeting. That girl was really something.


	30. Dancing With the Class

 

"She will be fine. I know what I am doing," Normani said, rolling her eyes. They were all acting like she hadn't taken care of Lauren before. The trust those girls had.

It was a work day. And any other day, Camila would be taking care of Lauren. But the girl had meetings to deal with. Normani had offered to take Lauren to work that day. She was just teaching the dance classes. It was going to be a piece of cake.

-

"All right you guys. This is my daughter, Lauren. She is going to be here with us for the day," Normani said, pointing to the girl who was siting at the corner. She was playing a children's game on Normani's phone, distracted.

"Ms. Kordei, isn't she a little too old to be your daughter?" one of her students asked.

Normani used Kordei as her professional name. Dinah would always mock her, saying there was nothing professional about her. It always ended as a fight between the two.

"One word, adoption."

She then started the class. She could hear Lauren huff from the corner. The girl placed the phone down and grabbed her coloring book. She started to color.

Normani turned to her students, watching them try to mimic her moves. Normani turned so she was facing the mirror. "All right you guys, it's one, two, one, two, three, and then repeat."

She did the move again and again, letting her students try to pick it up. Normani looked over to see see Lauren watch in awe. She stood up and ran to Normani.

"What's up Monster?" Normani asked, looked at the bright green eyes.

"I wanna," Lauren said, jumping in place.

"Okay Lo, just watch the mirror, okay?"

Lauren nodded. She sat on the ground and watched. Normani moved slowly for Lauren to catch each movement.

Normani's students watched with smiles on their faces. Normani knew what they were thinking. She was a teacher. She was tough on her students because she knew they could do well. But they were all seeing her soft side.

Lauren giggled when she stood up and started to copy the moves in her own way. It was entirely wrong, but she was having her fun.

"Okay guys, let's try this with music." Once the music came out of the speakers, Normani lost Lauren. The girl was just dancing and running around the room.

The older woman knew then and there, it was going to be a lazy day.

-

Sabrina Carpenter had been taking Ms. Kordei's class since the start of the class. The fifteen year old and her best friend had passed through one day, saw her teaching and knew they had to be a part of it.

She had seen Ms. Kordei with her fiancée, and knew she was a sweetheart. She wasn't the hard-ass she made herself out to be. But seeing her with her daughter, it was a whole new thing.

Sabrina placed her cookies on the chair between herself and Rowan, her best friend.

"I have carrots," Rowan said, placing the vegetables on the chair.

"Two for two?"

"Deal."

Sabrina grabbed a cookie and was about to bite when she saw that she was being watched. Her eyes connected with green ones.

Lauren was watching from the corner. Her sandwich and Doritos on her paper plate, her stuffed lion pressed against her mouth. Her eyes shifted from Sabrina's blue eyes to the cookie in her hand.

She watched as Lauren bit into the lion's ear.

"Do you want a cookie?" Sabrina asked, watching as the other girl perked up.

She patted her mother's leg and pointed to Sabrina.

Ms. Kordei looked at the girls and turned to Lauren. "Go, you'll be okay."

Lauren stood up.

"Take your lunch," her teacher said, turning back to her notebook that probably held the plan for the day.

Lauren grabbed her plate, her lion and walked to Sabrina and Rowan.

Rowan quickly prepared a chair for their teacher's daughter.

"'allo," Lauren said, grinning.

Rowan grinned. "Hi! I'm Rowan and this is Sabrina."

Sabrina waved.

"'allo, I, 'auwen."

"It's nice to meet you Lauren," Rowan said, giving Sabrina a look.

The blond shrugged. She really didn't know what was up with Lauren and her speech. But she seemed like a nice girl. And if she remembered correctly, her neighbors had a daughter similar to Lauren.

Lauren sat down. "'ookie?"

Sabrina quickly go a cookie and handed it to the girl who grinned.

Lauren signaled for her plate. "'ido?"

"I'd love one," Sabrina said, grabbing one. She watched as Lauren ate her cookie.

"Don't let the Cookie Monster eat all your cookies," Ms. Kordei said, looking up and smiling at the girl. "Lauren, no."

Sabrina turned to see Lauren reach for another cookie. Sabrina shrugged. "She can have them. My mom will just make more."

Lauren's eyes widened. "'es?"

"Have at it."

Lauren grabbed two and shoved them into her mouth. "'k 'u."

"You're welcome. I can see where the Cookie Monster name comes from."

-

Rowan Blanchard was not great on her feet. She was so sure the floor had something against her. But she heard Ms. Kordei's friend was the same. So she was glad she wasn't the only one with a rivalry against the ground.

But it was great to have someone who wasn't as great at dancing with her. Lauren seemed to just be enjoying herself, butchering every move. Rowan felt better, as she did her own things as well.

Class was coming to an end. Everyone was panting and sweating. Ms. Kordei would just put on a song and dance. She told everyone to try and copy her, but it was okay if they couldn't. They could do whatever they wanted if wanted.

Ms. Kordei cut the music off, and turned to the class. "Well, that was great. Tomorrow is Friday, so we can have another fun day. But Monday we will be back at work."

"Yo Ms. Kordei, bring L back!" Amir shouted from the back of the class, grinning.

Rowan looked at Lauren who was sitting on the ground trying to catch her breath.

"Depending on what her mothers say," Ms. Kordei said. "Class is over. Get your sweaty butts out of here."

Everyone in class started to get their things and walk out. Soon enough, Rowan and Sabrina were alone with Ms. Kordei and Lauren.

"Can we ask?" Sabrina asked, turning to Ms. Kordei.

Their teacher turned to the two girls. "Ask about Lauren? Her parents weren't very nice. We took her in. The girls and I are her mothers."

"You know, my neighbor teaches adult-children," Sabrina said, nodding her head.

"Adult-children?"

"Yeah. People like Lauren. My neighbor have a daughter, she's seventeen, but she acts three. We babysit sometimes."

"Really?"

Rowan nodded her head.

"Are you two," Ms. Kordei started, staring at them.

"What? No we're best friends. Why?" Rowan said, frowning.

"It's just that, everyone we know is either gay or a lesbian," their teacher said, laughing.

"Well, my neighbors are two married women with a daughter. You just live in a small world."

"We can give you their number if you want," Rowan said.

"I'd love that. Thank you."

Rowan and Sabrina grabbed their backpack. "Her name is Brittany. Hails is sweet. She'll get along with L."

After giving Ms. Kordei the number the two girls walked out.

"I want to babysit Lauren," Rowan said, grinning.

"We'll let Ms. Kordei know we can take care of her if they need time alone."

-

Normani entered the house. Dinah, Ally and Camila were already home by the time she arrived. Lauren was asleep in her arms, the girl's drool all over her shoulder.

Dinah took Lauren from Normani and took her to her bed.

Normani kissed Ally as she always did.

Camila gave her a hug. "How was your day with Lolo?"

"Great. All the students loved her. They want her to go back. And these two girls gave her cookies."

The other two women laughed. Dinah walked back to the living room. She pulled Camila to her lap.

"I have a question for you," Normani said, sitting on the couch, pulling Ally onto her lap. "How would you guys feel about Lauren going to school?"


	31. Perfectly Pitched

 

Lauren was sitting at the table closest to her mother. She turned back to see Camila with Austin. They were early. She turned to her right to see Lucy sitting next to her. She was already coloring a blank piece of paper.

The door opened and three people walked in. Camila stood up and walked towards them.

"Are you Ms. Snow?" Camila asked, extending her hand.

"Yes. You must be Camila, I was told you'd be coming in with your daughter," the blond women said, nodding. She placed her things down.

"Yes. I hope you don't mine, I also brought Lauren's friend and her father."

Brittany waved her off. "It's fine."

Camila looked over to the two brunettes standing next to Brittany. One was watching with a smile while the other was staring at the ground.

She turned to Lauren, Austin and Lucy, signaling for them to go to her. They all walked there.

She turned to the women in front of her. "I'm Camila, this is my girl, Lauren."

"Austin and Lucy," her ex said, grinning.

Brittany grinned. "I'm Brittany, I'll be your teacher. This here is my wife, Anna," she said, signaling towards the shorter of the brunettes.

"Hey."

"And our daughter, Hailee."

Hailee waved, but kept her eyes on the ground. Anna grabbed the girl's hand.

"'allo," Lauren greeted, a smile on her face.

"You two can stay for today, since it's the first day, but it would be best if you don't stay every day," Brittany told them with a soft smile.

Camila nodded. "Sounds fine." She turned to the girl. "Let's go sit down, okay?"

Lauren and Lucy nodded and went back to the table. Austin and Camila went to the chairs they had been sitting at. Anna kissed Brittany's cheek and followed the adults.

Brittany whispered words to Hailee who nodded. The girl went to sit at the table closest to her desk.

Camila frowned, seeing the girl hunch over. She saw her daughter whisper something to Lucy, who nodded.

The young girls stood up and walked towards Hailee's table and sat down.

"'allo," Lauren said, smiling softly.

The girl looked up, but didn't meet their eyes. "H-hi."

"I 'auwen, an' 'ucy," Lauren introduced them. Lucy gave the girl a small wave.

"I, uh, Hailee,' the girl stuttered, staring at the table.

"'o s'awe. I 'ice," Lauren said, reaching over to grab Hailee's hand, but the girl snatched it.

"No," Hailee whispered, shaking her head.

"Oh, 'owwy," Lauren whispered, turning to Lucy. She turned back to Hailee. "I wanna f'iends."

Hailee looked up. "Weally?"

"'es. Uh, f'iends?"

Hailee smiled. "Yes. Fwiends."

"Thank you," Anna said, staring at the trio.

"Why?" Austin asked, frowning.

Anna shook her head. "Hailee, she has a hard time making friends. I remember hearing the story of how you got Lauren. Her parents neglected her and you found her? When we discovered Hailee, her parents. They deserve to burn for what they did to her."

Camila's heart broke. She looked to the girls to see a small smile on Hailee's face.

"Parents aren't suppose to show up every day, but Hailee, she can't deal with that. Britt, she has all the students to deal with. It leaves me to watch her, you know?"

"Lauren, she loves taking care of people. She'll make sure Hailee is okay," Camila whispered, looking at her daughter who was making Hailee laugh. "She's going to be fine."

-

The class later got filled. There were twelve students in all. Camila watched as Brittany moved from child to child trying to help them at the level they were at.

Camila watched as the other girls in the class stood around Lauren and stared into her eyes.

"So gween," the short blond said, "dey gweener dan mine."

Lauren grinned. Camila shook her head. Of course the girl was drinking up all the attention.

Lauren turned and walked towards Camila. "Mami, aww da 'adies 'ove me," she said, smirking.

Austin started to laugh. "I can see the Dinah in her."

"You think it's funny. We have one Dinah, we don't need two," Camila commented.

She watched as Lauren ran back to her table and sat between Hailee and Lucy. She grabbed Lucy's hand and turned to Hailee. She placed her hand on the table with her palm up. She smiled, letting Hailee take it.

Camila couldn't be prouder.

-

Lauren liked making friends. Her old mommy and daddy were really mean. And she was scared of people in the beginning. But Mami and Mama gave her cookies. They kept her warm. And Mommy and Ma were nice. They all kept her protected. People weren't bad. They were nice. She had faith in them.

Lucy was her best friend. Lucy was her princess. Lucy was her forever. And looking at Hailee, she could see someone who needed a best friend. Someone who needed to be a princess. She needed a forever. Lauren was going to make sure she and Lucy were that.

Lauren looked down at the scribbles. Ms. Snow had been helping her write her own name. Lauren just assumed what she saw was her name. She didn't know. She couldn't read. She looked over to see Hailee's paper, it had many scribbles everywhere. Lucy's was the same. Their papers were neat and organized, but Lauren's was just a mess.

-

Camila watched as Lauren walked over to her, her work at hand. "Mami," Lauren whispered, staring at the ground.

"What is it baby?" Camila asked, staring at the girl.

"I 'o 'et. I dumb?" Lauren asked, staring at Camila with tears in her eyes.

Austin and Anna both stood up and walked towards their daughter, giving Camila and Lauren space.

Camila pulled Lauren onto her lap. "No, you're not dumb."

"I 'o 'et!"

"I know you don't get it. It's okay. We all understand why. Your old mom and dad, they didn't let you learn. But you are going to learn. You are going to be really smart, okay?"

"I 'o 'oopid?"

"You're not stupid. You were never stupid. You are smart. You are bright, okay?"

"O'ay. 'ove 'ou Mami."

"I love you too baby, don't forget that, okay?"

"'es. I gweat."

"Get back to your friends Mini-Dinah."

Lauren grinned and walked back to her friends. Anna and Austin walked back to Camila.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything is great," Camila said, while she watched Lauren make Lucy and Hailee laugh. "Perfect even."

 


	32. Dinah and the Mini Me

 

Dinah turned her head to see Lauren standing at the other side of the room. Her body was covered with white powder. There was yellow slime on top of her head. She was staring at the spot where both walls connected. She was in time out.

"Dinah, turn back around," Camila said, looking at her girlfriend.

Dinah sighed and turned her powder covered head, staring at where the other two walls connected. She huffed around the bar in her mouth. She was also in time out.

It was all Lauren's fault.

-

It all started an hour before. Lauren had been doing her homework. She had to write a few sentences on her own.

Lauren had been going to Little School for two weeks and was already learning so much. The class wasn't every day, just Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Lauren's friendship with Hailee had also grown. Anna had told them that it would take some time before she'd look at them in their eye. Her parents wouldn't let her do that growing up, making her scared to look at people in their eyes. But Lauren was slowly getting her out of her shell.

"Ma, 'elp?" Lauren asked, looking at the sentence she was supposed to write.

"Do it yourself," Dinah said, sitting on the couch. She watched as Lauren frowned.

Lauren sighed, turning back to her homework. Dinah was given the job to watch over Lauren. Camila was in their shared room working on her songs, Normani and Ally were shopping for dinner.

"'elp!" Lauren shouted, slamming her hand down. "'ou 'azy!"

"I'm lazy?" Dinah asked, shocked.

"'es!"

"I am not lazy."

"'es."

Dinah shook her head. "I am not arguing with a child."

"I win. 'ou 'ild," Lauren said, looking smug.

"I'm the child? I don't think so," Dinah said, glaring at the girl.

"Twy," Lauren said, showing Dinah her homework.

Dinah grabbed the paper and stared at it. She saw what Lauren was supposed to write.

_My name is Lauren, I am sixteen._

Dinah glared at the girl and grabbed the paper, write down the sentence. She looked up at Lauren to see her with a smirk on her face. The older girl was confused for a second, before realizing what happened.

"You little," she said, giving the girl a look.

"'ank 'ou," Lauren said, taking the paper. She looked at it before smiling up at Dinah.

"Give it to me. You are doing it on your own," Dinah said, extending her hand. She looked at Lauren expectingly.

Lauren stared back. "No."

Dinah glared at the girl. "Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest. "No!"

"Give it here Lauren," Dinah said, taking a step towards the girl.

"No!" Lauren shouted, running towards the kitchen. Dinah chased after her. She didn't expect to be hit by a banana. She rubbed her shoulder, as she stared at the yellow fruit on the ground. She took another step, only to be hit by a handful of flour. She coughed out the white dust.

"Lauren Michelle," Dinah said, glaring at the girl.

The green eyed girl smirked. "'inah 'ane."

"Come here!" Dinah ran to the girl who tried to run away, but was easily caught by Dinah. She grabbed the flour on the table and drenched Lauren with it.

Unlike Dinah who only had flour on her face, Lauren was covered from head to toe. She looked like a ghost.

Dinah let her go, and took a step back.

"Do you give up Casper?"

Lauren glared. She quickly reached for the cake on the table and threw it at Dinah's head. Dinah did not have time to cover herself.

The older woman turned, opened the refrigerator and grabbed two eggs.

"Hey Lo, do you want to make cookies?"

Lauren perked up. "'ookies?"

"Yeah," Dinah said, walking towards Lauren. "You just add egg to the flower." She slammed both eggs together, breaking them and letting all the yolk land on Lauren's head.

Dinah laughed. Lauren was standing there, in shock. She pouted, as she stared at Dinah.

"Truce Casp?" Dinah extended her hand.

"'uce," Lauren sighed, putting her own hand in Dinah's.

"Let's clean this up before your other moms see, yeah?"

"'es."

"Too late," she heard. She looked over to see Ally, Normani and Camila standing there, hands crossed over their chest.

"Oh fuck," Dinah muttered, a flash of panic running though her veins.

"Mama! Ma say 'ad wor'!" Lauren exclaimed, pointing to Dinah. The girl was told there were a few words she wasn't allowed to say _fuck_  and  _bitch_  were two of them.

Dinah's eyes widened. Lauren had just snitched on her.

Ally raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Lauren smirked as she stared at Dinah. "Ma 'ime ou'."

Camila walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bar of soap. "Go to the corner, and put this in your mouth. We have to wash that dirty mouth."

Dinah glared at her. "You swear more than I do."

"But I didn't this time," Camila said, smirking. She shoved the bar of soap into Dinah's mouth when the taller girl was going to respond.

Dinah huffed and walked to the corner.

"And you, did you finish your homework?" Normani asked Lauren. Dinah turned to see the young girl grab the paper off the ground. Her poor homework was crumbled up, stepped on, and covered in egg yolk and flour.

"No?" Lauren said, giving her mothers a small smile.

"Corner," Ally told her, pointing to the living room.

The green eyed girl dragged her feet to the corner and stood there.

"Mila, go watch the trouble makers while Mani and I clean."

"Yes ma'am."

Dinah quickly turned so she was staring at the wall. She heard Camila sit on the couch.

Dinah stared at the at the same spot on the wall. She was bored out her mind. But she had to stay there. She could taste the soap in her mouth. Her jaw was starting to hurt.

She turned to look at Lauren standing at the other side of the room. Her body was still covered in flour. The egg shells and yolk was drying on her head. She was still staring at the wall.

"Dinah, turn back around," Camila said, looking at her girlfriend.

Dinah sighed and turned her head, staring at where the other two walls connected. She huffed around the soap in her mouth.

-

Dinah was falling asleep when she heard Ally.

"All right Lauren, go with Camila to take a shower. Then, you are doing your homework. No cookies today."

The girl sighed but did as she was told.

"Wha' 'bou' 'e," Dinah asked, her mouth soapy.

"You can take the soap out. You'll be able to leave when Lauren finishes her shower."

Dinah spit the soap out of her mouth, but could still taste it. Normani walked up to her with a bowl.

"Spit."

Dinah spit into the bowl. She was given a water bottle, and rinsed the soap out. Once she was done, she was left alone.

"Why is my punishment longer?"

"Because she learns from you."

Dinah glared at the wall. "Stupid Casper."

It was all Lauren's fault.


	33. Peanut

 

Camila bobbled her head as she heard the beat the producers made. She looked over at Lauren who was asleep on the couch. Nala was in her arms, pacifier in her mouth, her favorite blanket covering her body.

The girls created a schedule for the girl. Monday and Tuesday, Lauren had school Wednesdays, she'd be home with Normani and Ally. Thursday, she'd go back to school. Fridays, she'd go to work with one of the girls, although it was usually Normani or Camila. Ally and Dinah already said they were going to take Lauren one day, but it seemed like it was more for Ally than Dinah, given that Ally worked in an office while Dinah worked in a regular classroom.

"You brought the Peanut," Simon said, walking into the studio.

"I can see your excitement. You only ask how she is," Camila said, grinning. She looked at what he was holding. She could see the green octopus in his hands. She smirked. "She asks about you too."

"Brilliant. How is your recording going?"

Camila glared at him. "Wake her up. You know you don't care about what I'm doing."

"Of course I do. If you do good, then you'll sell albums. If you sell albums, then you'll come here more. If you come here more, then I'll see the Peanut more often."

"I still don't get why you call her Peanut."

"I have money. I do what I want."

Camila rolled her eyes. At first, she was intimated by  _the_  Simon Cowell. But it turned out the man was just a teddy bear.

The man was not as scary as he made himself out to be. He was sweet, dorky and nice. And Camila was glad to be working with him.

She liked that he wanted Lauren around. The girl was an important factor in her life. And Camila was big on family. If Simon, or any other label head had a problem with her family, she would walk away. As much as it was her dream to release music, nothing mattered if she didn't have anyone to share it with.

"I'll let the Peanut sleep for a while. I wanted to talk to you about some important things," he said, sitting down next to Camila.

The music producer paused the music, excusing himself from the room, leaving Camila, Simon and the still sleeping Lauren alone.

"There are two things I wanted to talk to you about. One, touring, the other is press. We'll start with the easier one first. Touring. If all goes according to plan, your future fans will want to see you live. But I also know you have a family. And I was to make this as fun for you as possible," he said, leaning back.

"Isn't management in charge of that? Do I have a management? We never talked about that."

Simon nodded. "If this was any other case, you would have one. But I've seen many people be screwed over by management. And I don't want that for you. Not when you have a special girl to look after."

"I get special treatment?"

"Lauren deserves it, don't you think? I want to help manage your career. Anything you'd have to do will go through me. And you and I will sit down and talk about it. Your family can talk about it. I want you to have a great career Camila, but I also want you to have a wonderful one. One where you can tour, and make music, and still be with your loved ones. One where you don't feel like you're missing out."

Camila's eyes watered as her boss talked. "Thank you Simon," Camila whispered, nodding her head.

"So touring. If all goes according to plan, you'll be able to tour this time next year. It's summer break, and you can always invite your family. I'm sure Lauren would love to see the world."

"I'd have to talk to Dinah and the girls, but summer sounds perfect."

"Great. And I would like to have a meeting with you and the girls to talk about press. They will ask about Lauren, and I want you guys to be ready about it. People won't be nice all the time."

Camila nodded her head, as she looked at her daughter. She knew what she was risking. She wanted a job that was in the public eye. She knew Lauren was going to be out there.

"We'll set something up."

Simon clapped his hands. "Great. Now I can do something really important. I am kidnapping your daughter for ice cream while you work here. Have fun."

Camila laughed and watched as Simon walked over to Lauren and gently woke her up by telling her that they were going to get ice cream and her green octopus was getting lonely.

Lauren was wide awake upon hearing that.

Camila was really happy. She felt like her life was complete.

-

Simon Cowell was known as an asshole by many. He has made people cry. He has made people hate. He has made people feel things that weren't really nice.

But with his Peanut around, the world seemed to be sunshines and rainbows. He even felt like unicorns could exist.

Before contacting Camila, he had done his research. He wanted to see if the person he was going to work with was going to be great, or if it was going to be like pulling teeth. So he found out what he could. He researched the people she seemed to interact with; Dinah, Ally, Normani, Shawn, Austin. He found out about Lauren, and he found articles about her case. It wasn't a world wide case, but it was there. Her parents neglected her, never gave her an education, leaving her mind to never develop. She was stuck as a child. And Camila, who had no previous connection with the girl, took her in. The other girls did as well, but he was signing Camila. She was the one that mattered.

Before meeting Lauren, he expected a scared girl who couldn't speak. A girl who wouldn't want to be touched. A girl who seemed to give up on life, but he didn't get that. No, Lauren was full of life. She was full of love and laughter. Her eyes could shine up a whole room. She could make people believe in magic. She was special, and she was able to squeeze in his little black heart.

He watched as Lauren introduced herself to her green octopus, who she called Sy, after him. It made his heart grow another size, just like the grinch.

"Un'le Sy, 'ou n-nice," Lauren said, grinning.

"I see you've been going to school," he said, watching the girl.

Lauren's eyes lit up. "'es! 'uce an' 'aiwee 'oo."

"Are they your friends?"

"'es. Bes'es'," she responded, nodding her head.

Simon smiled, seeing the smile on the girl grow as she talked about her best friends. She talked about how Melissa and Grant and Britt and Dylan were always together. Or how Blake and Jake liked to mess with Ben. Or how Willa was always playing with toy arrows. Or how Becca liked to tease Lucy.

He'd nod and ask questions about the people, and it made Lauren even more excited.

"Un'le Sy, I 'ome 'gain?"

Simon nodded. "You are always welcome here. You are my Peanut, and Peanuts get special access."

Lauren clapped her hands. She nodded her head. "I 'ome 'gain. 'ike hewe."

"I like having you here too. You make the place shine."

Lauren grinned, as she nodded. "'es."

-

"Mami, 'ood!" Lauren squealed, sitting next to the producer. Camila smiled from inside the booth.

The producer pointed to a button. "Press that one."

Lauren pressed it, and grinned when Camila's voice came through the speakers.

"'gain!"

The producer just laughed, while Camila watched. She could see her daughter's carefree attitude.

Camila decided then and there, she was going to make sure she watched her Lolo grow up. She's leave music if it meant she missed special events. No one, except maybe Dinah, was as important to her as Lauren.

(Dinah was only important because she gave her kisses and bought her food. If she didn't do that, Lauren would have totally held the number one spot.)

 


	34. Flourish

 

Brittany walked into the classroom. She saw Camila and Shawn (who she met the second day of class) sitting with Lucy and Lauren.

Brittany placed her hand on Hailee's back. "Look, it's your friends."

Hailee seemed happy. She seemed giddy.

Camila stood up and walked towards Brittany. "No Anna?"

Brittany grinned. "Can you actually believe Hailee said she didn't need a babysitter? She said she had Renny and Lu and didn't need her Mami."

Camila grinned. Brittany watched as Hailee ran to Lauren and Lucy, giving each a kiss on the cheek. She sat down next to Lauren, who was in the middle.

"You are doing a great job with her," Brittany continued. She watched as Lauren drew a picture, Hailee and Lucy looking over her shoulder.

"Lauren has been begging to hang out with Hailee outside of school. And her birthday is coming soon. It's her first birthday with us, we want to do something about it. So talk to Anna about it and let me know."

"Of course. We'll work something out," Brittany said, grinning.

Camila and Shawn said their goodbyes to their daughters before leaving.

Brittany watched as Lauren passed her drawing to Hailee, who added to it. The class was slowly getting filled.

Darren dropped off his son Grant. Dianna and Lea dropped off Melissa. Naya's daughter Becca just strutted in. Brothers Jacob and Blake pushed each other into the class without their father. Shy Ben was kissed goodbye by his parents, Skylar and Brittany's best friend Anna (not to be mistaken by her other best friend, who happened to be her wife but was called Kendrick when both Annas were together). Dylan and Britt walked in hand-in-hand, their guardians dropping them off outside the building.

Brittany looked over to see Lucy had the paper and was drawing on it. She grinned, before starting the class.

-

Hailee stared at the board in front of her. Her Mommy had written a couple of math problems on the board for them to solve. At the moment, her Mommy was going around the class helping the other students with their class work. Hailee looked over at Lucy, who was going through the problems with no problem.

She turned to Lauren whose answers were scratched. "You 'kay Wenny?" Hailee asked, frowning.

Lauren looked up with wide eyes. "'es, 'ine."

Lauren looked down at the her paper. Hailee watched as Lauren frowned.

"Help?" Hailee asked, getting Lucy's attention.

"No," Lauren muttered, shaking her head.

Hailee exchanged looks with Lucy.

Lauren always oozed confidence. Just being around Lauren, Hailee felt comfortable. The girl made her feel joy. She made her laugh. Lauren made Hailee feel okay that she had to initiate touches.

And seeing Laure frustrated, seeing how she made herself small at the moment worried her. Looking at Lucy, she knew the other girl felt the same.

"It 'kay if no 'stand," Hailee said, pointing to the paper.

Lauren shook her head. "I 'oopid."

"Lauwie, you not stupid," Lucy said, shaking her head. "You smawt."

Lauren shook her head. "I no 'et," Lauren said, pointing to the paper. "I no 's'and!

"It 'kay Lauwie. We help you."

Lauren sighed. She raised her hand. When Brittany saw her, she walked to the table of the three girls. "Yes?"

"I, I, 'eave?"

Brittany smiled softly. "You can't leave. You have to stay until your moms come to get you."

Lauren shook her head. "'ome!"

The class quieted down, as everyone turned to look at the table. Lauren eyes were filled with tears.

"What's wrong?"

Lauren just started to shake her head. She started to inhale, harshly.

"Mommy, wha's goin' on?" Hailee asked, looking as her friend seemed to have a hard time breathing.

"She's having a panic attack. I just have to calm her down."

"Like me?" Hailee asked, frowning.

During her time in the Kendrick-Snow house, she had many panic attacks. They weren't as big as they used to be, but she had a lot in her first year with her mothers. Her panic attacks were linked with her fear of being hit and left behind. She slowly realized that her mothers weren't going to hit her. Even if she was bad, and didn't listen, they'd talk to her softly and if she was in time out, they'd stay in her line of sight so she knew they weren't going to leave her locked away.

She remembered how her Mami and Mommy helped her during her panic attacks.

Hailee wrapped her arms around Lauren and rubbed her back. "B'eathe. B'eathe like me, 'kay?"

She felt Lauren nod against her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Lucy reach for her hand and held it.

Lucy looked up at Brittany. "Lauwie no t'ink she smawt. She no 'stand."

Brittany turned to Lauren, who was breathing easier, but still had her tears in her eyes.

"It's okay to not know Lauren. Hailee didn't understand when she started either. You are trying, and that makes you smart. How about I sit with you and help you though it? Hailee can always help if I can't help you. And Lucy here seems to know what she's doing."

"'oopid," Lauren muttered, her mouth pressed against Hailee's shirt.

Brittany frowned.

"Mommy, we color?"

Her Mommy nodded. "Yeah." She turned to the class. "Alright guys, we are going to have some color time, okay? So put your papers in the middle of the table."

All the kids shouted, happy. Hailee flinched, the sound scaring her. But she just ran her hand through Lauren's hair. She just wanted the girl to feel better. She just wanted to thank her for what she had done for her.

-

Most of the parents had taken their children home. Lucy, Lauren and Hailee were the only ones left. Lucy was going to sleep over at Lauren's. After Lauren's emotion meltdown-ish moment, Lucy didn't want to leave Lauren alone.

Ally and Normani walked into the classroom. Camila was usually the one the pick Lauren up. Lucy turned to look at Lauren, but the girl was still curled up in Hailee's side. Lucy felt a small surge of jealousy, but she knew Hailee was a nice girl. And Lucy really liked her. She was Lucy's second friend. But Lauren was both Lucy and Hailee's first friend.

Normani rushed to Lauren, who looked up. "Monster, are you okay?"

Lauren shook her head. "'oopid."

Brittany walked towards Normani and Ally. She introduced herself and Hailee. She told them that Lauren had a tough time to do her class work. She said that maybe, someone at home could help Lauren learn things. Just help with her confidence when it came to her knowledge, or lack of.

Normani reached over and picked Lauren up. The girl just put her thumb in her mouth and wrapped her legs and arms around her Mommy.

Hailee and Lucy stood up. Hailee turned to Lucy. "Pwotect Wenny?"

Lucy nodded her head, slightly annoyed. Of course she was going to take care of Lauren. That was her best friend.

Hailee leaned over and kissed Lucy's cheek. "Bye Lu."

The kissed girl's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Let's go Lucy," Ally called, offering the girl her hand.

Lucy took it and looked at Hailee. "Bye Hail."

Hailee grinned, waving goodbye.

Once outside the room. Lucy turned her attention to Lauren who was asleep.

Lauren was going to be okay. Lucy and Hailee were going to make sure she knew how smart she was. They were both going to make sure of it.


	35. The Office

****Ally looked up from her computer to see Lauren playing with a few toy cars. She'd drive them to each other and make an explosion sound when two cars connected. Ally stood up and walked to Lauren. She sat down in front of Lauren.

"What are you doing?" Ally asked after hearing Lauren make small screams when a car was flipping over.

"'wash. Um, Mami in caw," Lauren said, getting her ambulance car and making car noises as it drove to the accident. She grabbed the turned over car and placed it on top of the ambulance.

Ally grinned while she watched Lauren drive the small ambulance to a "hospital".

Lauren gasped, as the injured car fell down.

"What is happening?"

"Mami head no 'ood," Lauren said, shaking her head. She looked up at Ally. "Mami be o'ay."

"That's good. Can't have my cousin hurt." Ally said, standing up. She extended her hand, letting Lauren take it. "How about we get some lunch?"

Lauren nodded her head. "'ookies? 'es?"

"I'll get my little Cookie Monster. Let's get you food and cookies."

Lauren ran to the small couch and got her Nala. She gave the stuffed lion a hug and ran to Ally. She grabbed her mother's hand and both walked to the cafeteria. Lauren stayed by Ally, while the older woman ordered the food. Ally paid for the sandwiches, orange juices, and cookie. She turned to see Lauren rocking on her feet.

"Let's go eat outside? It's a beautiful day," Ally said, holding the food. Lauren followed behind. They sat down under a tree. Ally handed Lauren a sandwich and watched Lauren slowly opened her sandwich and bit into it. "How's school?"

"'ood."

"Learning a lot?"

"'es."

"And are you making more friends?"

Lauren seemed to perk up. "'uce an' 'aiz, bes'es' f'iends!"

Ally smiled. She sat there, watching as Lauren talked about Lucy and Hailee and how they were helping her learn so much.

Soon enough, a shadow appeared over her. She looked up to see her co-worker. "Hey Tom?"

The guy, Tom, smirked. His eyes were on Lauren, who was oblivious to the leering. "Hey Ally. Who's your friend here?"

Ally took a deep breath to keep from blowing up. " _No_."

Tom looked at Ally with wide eyes. "What?"

"Turn around and leave."

"Mama, 'ookie?" Lauren asked, still oblivious. She had her sandwich in one hand and was reaching for the cookie.

Tom's facial expression changed. "Never mind. You couldn't pay me enough to sleep with a freak."

Lauren seemed to look upon hearing that word. She was very sensitive to the word  _freak_  since the Zoo incident.

"'allo?" Lauren greeted, a confused look on her face.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asked, staring at her.

Lauren frowned. Her eyes filled with tears. She looked down, her shoulder slumped. Ally stood up, ready to punch him.

"Hey! Leave them alone!" another voice said, as a guy stormed towards them.

Tom rolled his eyes. "Whatever, so not worth my time." He turned and walked away.

Ally looked over to see another coworker, one she actually got along with walk towards them.

"Tom is such a dick. Was he bothering you too much?" Cole Sprouse said, shaking his head.

"He wasn't as bad as the other times. Thank you though," Ally said, smiling.

Cole had started working with her not to long ago. He was such a sweet, funny guy. He was one of her closest friends in her job.

"Who's this though?" Cole asked, looking down at Lauren.

Ally grinned, but it was wiped off when she saw Lauren rub her eyes, tears in them. She crouched down and pulled her into her arms.

"Shhh," she whispered, rubbing the girl's arm. "It's okay. He doesn't know you. He doesn't have a nice heart. You are perfect."

"'ean Mama," Lauren cried, shaking her head.

"He's a big dummy. You are not a freak. And there is nothing wrong with you. Don't let him win, okay?"

Cole sat down next to them. "The best people in the world are different. The thing that makes them different is the special part in their lives."

Lauren turned to see the blond guy sitting there.

"'pecial?"

"Yeah. And you seem like a nice, smart girl. You are probably smarter than him," Cole said, grinning.

"'eally?"

"Totally. I heard he can't open doors," Cole whispered, winking at Ally.

"Mami, I 'mawt," Lauren said, grinning. She turned to Cole. "'allo. I 'auwen."

"That's a pretty name. So Ally here is your Mami. Is Normani your other mom?"

"'es, Mommy. An' 'inah, Ma. An' 'amz, Mami," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Ally watched as Cole smiled. "That's awesome. I wish I had four moms too."

Lauren nodded her head. "Bes'es'. 'ookie?"

Ally pointed to the cookie next to Cole who gave it to her. "We were eating lunch if you want to join us."

Cole grinned. "I'd love to."

-

After the lunch incident, Ally and Lauren were back in her office. She was on her desk, putting the finishing touches on her article while Lauren colored. She looked up to see Lauren concentrating on her drawing.

"Mama," Lauren called, looking up.

Ally looked up, smiling. "Yeah?"

"I 'ove 'ou," Lauren said, smiling.

"I love you too. Now tell me, what are you drawing?"

Lauren's face light up. She grabbed her paper and scurried to Ally's lap. She placed the paper in front of her.

"Dat 'ou, an' Mommy an' Ma an' Mami an' 'aiz an' 'uce an' Un'le 'awny an' Un'le Ausy an' Missus 'now an' Anna. An' i' wainin' 'ookies."

Ally looked at the drawing, seeing the many stick figures with different length hairs and colors. There was a shining sun, with big circles (which were the cookies) falling from the sky. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces.

"I love it. Can I keep it?"

"'es."

Ally placed Lauren on her desk. She grabbed a piece of tape and taped the drawing on the wall. She turned to Lauren. "Want to make me more so I can cover the walls with them?"

Lauren couldn't get off the desk fast enough. She grabbed her pieces of paper and started to draw on them.

Ally watched as the girl drew more family pictures. She never imagined having a daughter at her age. She never imagined starting a family before she was married. But she wouldn't change it for anything.

Finding Lauren was the best thing that ever happened to her and the girls. They've gotten so many new people in their lives because of Lauren. That girl knew how to steal hearts. She was always going to be her little girl.

 


	36. Cookies and Broccoli and Cards

****Lauren was excited. Lucy and Hailee told her what day it was going to be. They told her that Mother's Day was that Sunday. Shawn and Austin were going to take Lucy to New York to spend the day with Keana. Hailee was going with her mothers, she was going to use her allowance to pay for dinner (although Lauren didn't know what allowance was), although Ms. Snow said that Hailee was ask for money before hand because she wasn't going to have enough. The girls made Mother's Day cards.

Lauren had learned that it was a day to celebrate mothers and all they did for their children. Lauren was excited to thank her mothers for everything they had done for her. She wanted them to know how thankful she was of them. And she wanted them to know that she loved them.

She woke up with a huge smile on her face that morning. She stood up on her bed and looked at the bars. She knew she had to be quiet. She climbed over it, slightly scared she was going to fall. But she was able get down. She was glad her Mommy didn't raise it too high.

Lauren went to the kitchen and grabbed a plate from the sink. It was clean, so she filled it with cookies. She grabbed a cup and went to the fridge. She had seem people do this on the television.

She grabbed the plate and cup and headed to the bedrooms to get her cards and surprise her mothers.

-

Normani sat up when she heard the door open. She rubbed her eyes, not sure what was going on. She grinned when she saw Lauren walk towards her. Lauren had a cup and plate. She girl placed them on the ground. She got one of the pieces of paper she had and gave it to Normani. The dark girl grabbed it and opened it. She smiled when she saw the cover.

_Hapy Momy Dai_

In the picture was two stick figures. A tall one holding a small one. They looked to be dancing. She opened it to see a big red heart in it.

Normani looked up to see Lauren holding out a cookie and a small broccoli.

"'appy Mommy day," Lauren said, grinning. "'ookie an' f'ower fow 'ou."

Normani grabbed the cookie and broccoli. She made a show of sniffing it.

"I love it and I love you, thank you." She gave the girl a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Lauren grinned, grabbed her things and walked to the other side of the bed.

-

Ally felt her cheek being tapped. She opened her eyes to see a pair of green eyes staring back at her. Ally sat up and turned to look at Normani who was eating a cookie with a piece of broccoli in her hand.

Lauren placed a card on Ally's lap. The older girl looked down and grinned when she saw what was on it.

_Hapy Mama dai_

There were two stick figures standing next to an opened stove with cookies inside.

Ally opened the card to see a big pink heart inside.

She looked over to look at Lauren, who was holding out a cookie and broccoli.

"'ookie an' f'ower. 'appy Mama day."

Ally pulled Lauren into her arms and hugged her. "Thank you baby. It's wonderful." She pressed her lips against the girl's forehead. "I love you."

Lauren grinned, grabbed her things and left the room.

Ally turned to Normani. "I love her."

"Me too."

Ally looked at Normani who was still eating her cookie. "Go brush your teeth."

-

Camila yawn as she walked to bathroom. She grinned when she saw Lauren in the small hallway.

"Hey Lolo," Camila said, grinning.

"Mami!" Lauren placed the things she was holding to the ground. She offered a small card to Camila who took it.

_Hapy Mami Dai_

The cover had two stick figures standing in front of a microphone. There were musical notes.

She opened it to find a big blue heart.

She grinned and to Lauren who had a cookie and broccoli on either hand.

"'appy Mami day," Lauren said, grinning. "'ookie an' f'ower fow 'ou."

Camila took the cookie and broccoli. She hugged the girl. "This is the best present I ever got."

Lauren grinned and left to Camila's room with her things. Camila just shook her. She continued her way to brush her teeth.

-

Dinah jumped up when she felt someone tap her. She looked at Lauren who had a card in her hand. Lauren handed it to her.

_Hapy Ma Dai_

On the cover, there were two stick figures sitting together watching television.

Dinah opened it to find a big green heart. She looked at Lauren who was handing her a cookie. "'ookie fow 'ou."

Dinah placed the card down and wrapped her arm around the younger girl. She laughed. "I love you. Thank you."

Lauren nodded and walked out of the room. Dinah decided to get ready for the day.

When she got to the kitchen, she found all the others there already. Ally and Lauren were at the stove. It seemed like Lauren was telling Ally how to shape the pancakes for each person.

Dinah sat down with Normani and Camila.

"How cute is Lauren?" Dinah questioned, turned to her little girl.

"I know right. She willingly gave us her cookies and her broccoli flowers," Normani said, grinning.

Dinah frowned. Broccoli? She didn't get one.

Camila laughed. "Let me guess, she just gave you a cookie?"

"Yeah. I got no broccoli." Dinah turned to Lauren. "Hey, Casper, why didn't you give me a broccoli?"

Lauren turned to Dinah with a glare. "No. 'ou kiww. 'ou no 'et."

"C'mon! I thought you forgot!" Dinah turned to Camila and Normani. "She hasn't mentioned it in days."

Camila shook her head. "Lolo never forgets."

Dinah sighed. She reached over and grabbed Camila's broccoli. She was about to pull it towards her when she felt something slap her hand. Dinah barely had a time to react, while the other three adults laughed.

"Did you just hit me with a pancake?" Dinah asked, wide eyed.

Lauren stared up at Dinah with a glare. "'es."


	37. Cupid

****Rowan sighed. She looked into the darkness. "What just happened?"

"We were outsmarted by two children," Sabrina muttered.

"I can't believe we got locked in the closet." Rowan moved. Her legs got tangled on something. She fell forward onto Sabrina. She could feel Sabrina's breath on her face. "Oh."

-

Sabrina and Lauren stared at each other from across the table. Rowan was in Lauren's bedroom with Hailee, changing her. Lauren tilted her head.

Sabrina and Rowan were babysitting with both Lauren and Hailee. Brittany and Anna had a theatre event. Normani and Ally had a business dinner with Ally's coworkers. Dinah was with Camila who had a meeting for her future in music. Normani offered to have Sabrina and Rowan babysit both Lauren and Hailee at their house.

"What is it?" Sabrina asked, placing her elbows on the table.

"I 'ave 'ookie," Lauren said, smiling. She gave Sabrina a nod.

"No." Sabrina narrowed her eyes. She was told that Lauren couldn't have cookies before lunch. The girl would just eat them all and not eat any actual food.

Lauren's smile slowly disappeared. She frowned. "'ookies."

"No."

"'ookies p'ease."

Sabrina shook her head. She watched as Lauren widened her eyes. Sabrina looked away. She was given one rule. Not to look into Lauren's eyes whens he wanted something.

"No cookie. Rowan and I are going to make lunch for you."

"Bu' 'ookie 'a'er."

Sabrina nodded. "You may have cookies later."

"'ank 'ou," Lauren said. Sabrina looked back when she heard scribbling. She sighed, making it safely.

Rowan walked into the kitchen, her hand linked with Hailee's.

Sabrina looked at her best friend. She look at the smile on her face, the brown eyes. She watched as Rowan looked over Lauren's work. She heard the laugh. She bit her lip, looking away.

Rowan was her best friend. She couldn't have these types of feelings, not like this.

-

Rowan placed the sandwiches on the table. She smiled as she watched Lauren rip Hailee's in half because the other girl wasn't paying attention.

Rowan sat down next to Sabrina and saw the blush on the girl's face.

Lauren looked up. "'ou 'geder?"

"What?" Rowan asked, frowning.

Hailee looked at their neck. She didn't trust them enough to look at them in the eye. Both girls were okay with it. They hadn't known each other for long. "Like Mommy and Mami."

Rowan felt her cheeks grow warm. She turned to look at Sabrina to see their cheeks just as red.

"No, we aren't together."

Both girl seemed disappointed at them. "Oh, 'ad," Lauren muttered, grabbing her sandwich and taking a bite out of it.

Rowan turned to her sandwich, wishing it were true.

-

Lauren was hearing her helmet, had her shield and her foam sword. Hailee was on the couch, wearing a princess cone hat. Rowan and Sabrina were standing in front of Lauren, hands in claw formation.

"P'odec'!" Lauren exclaimed, raising her sword up high. She waved it in front of the other girls. She slammed her sword on Sabrina's knee. The blond fell and cried out.

"Rowan, help me!"

Rowan chased after Lauren, who made sure the taller girl didn't get too close to Hailee.

"I p'odec' 'aiz!"

She "killed" Rowan by stabbing her. Lauren offered her hand to Hailee who took it. The older of the two got off the couch and pressed her lips against Lauren's cheek.

Lauren grinned. She turned to Sabrina. "I 'aves 'wo g'lf'iends."

Sabrina laughed. "Player."

Lauren smirked. She offered her hand to Hailee, who took it. Sabrina watched as the two girls left the living room. Rowan and Sabrina followed the two to Lauren's room.

"Let's get you ready for nap time."

"'es."

-

"Up," Lauren said, pointing up to the blankets. Sabrina tried to reach, but was unable to. Rowan laughed and shook her head. She walked into the closet to help Sabrina when they were both pushed and the door was close behind them.

They heard the knob move a few times before Rowan and Sabrina could realize what had happened.

Rowan sat up and looked around the small closet, but it was dark. She tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open to far. She sighed. She looked into the darkness. "What just happened?"

"We were outsmarted by two children," Sabrina muttered.

"I can't believe we got locked in the closet." Rowan moved. Her legs got tangled on something. She fell forward onto Sabrina. She could feel Sabrina's breath on her face. "Oh."

Rowan felt Sabrina place her hand on her cheek. "Hello," Sabrina whispered.

"Hi."

Rowan stayed there, not moving. She felt Sabrina move, when she felt lips against hers.

Sabrina pulled away. Rowan didn't wait, she just leaned forward and reconnected their lips.

"You don't know how many times I've wanted to do that," Sabrina whispered between their kisses.

Rowan laughed, enjoying the moment.

-

Lauren sat on the ground with Hailee. They had just locked their babysitters in the closet.

Lauren pushed her piano to Hailee, who smiled.

"'ou o'ay?" Lauren asked, tilting her head slightly. She knew about Hailee's anxiety and knew the girl got nervous in new places. Or that's what her mothers told her.

Hailee nodded. "I 'kay Wenny. We play?"

"'es. Wan' 'ing?"

Hailee nodded her head. Lauren played the piano (which was just her hitting keys) while Hailee sang (which was her just saying random words). They didn't last long, when Hailee yawned.

"S'eepy?"

Hailee nodded. Lauren stood up and offered her hand to the older girl who took it. Lauren led her to the couch and had her lay down. She grabbed her blanket she kept there, Nala, and both hers and Hailee's pacifiers. She covered Hailee up, and gave her the pacifier. She then curled up with her and held her like she did after Lucy's nightmares.

It didn't take long for Hailee to sleep. Lauren watched television, before falling asleep with Hailee.

-

Normani walked into the house. Ally, Dinah and Camila walked in behind her. The television was on, playing Spongebob. Normani could see Lauren and Hailee curled up, sleeping on the couch.

"Where are Sabrina and Rowan?" Camila asked, frowning.

Normani shrugged. "I don't know." She went to her room, when she saw a scarf tied from the doorknob to the table next to the door. She called for the girl who walked to her.

"Please tell me the girls didn't," Camila muttered, shaking her head.

Ally untied the door, opened it.

Sabrina and Rowan were asleep in the closet. They were curled up, with Sabrina in Rowan's arms.

"Do you think they'll come out of the closet now?"


	38. Mommy's Day

"Wha's  _bifday_?" Lauren asked, tilting her head. She stared at Ally, who told her it was going to be Normani's birthday the next day. Ally sighed. She had expected that Lauren's family had never celebrated Lauren's birthday, but she hoped Lauren at least knew what that meant.

"We celebrate the year your Mommy was born. It's the day of her birth. Twenty-eight years ago tomorrow, Mommy was born. She came into the world. So tomorrow, it'll be officially twenty-eight years tomorrow," Ally explained.

Lauren nodded. "I 'ave bifday 'oo?"

"You do, next month."

Lauren grinned. "We ce'bwate?"

"We are celebrating Normani's tomorrow, we will celebrate yours when it's time. And there will be a cake. Then we are going to take her out to eat on the weekend. But you can't tell her, okay?"

"Sec'et. 'es."

Ally wanted as Lauren turned and walked away. She shook her head. She felt someone wrap their arms around her middle. She leans back.

"What were you two talking about?" Normani asked, placing her chin on her shoulder.

"Just things. Where have you been?" Ally responded, turned her neck so their lips connected.

"So, in five hours, I'm going to be twenty-eight. How does it feel to be that old?"

Ally moved away from Normani and smacked her arm. "You are a bitch."

"Mama say 'ad wor'!" Lauren exclaimed, from the doorway of the kitchen. She pointed at Ally. "Mama 'ime ou'!"

Normani shook her head and looked at Ally. "To the corner."

Ally let out a sigh and walked to the corner. She should have never made that rule.

-

Normani walked into the house. She knew the girls were planning something. She just didn't know what. She opened the door. She frowned, because all the lights were on.

"Hello?" Normani asked, frowning.

"Mommy 'ome!" she heard Lauren shout, as she ran to greet her mother. Normani picked up her child and walked to the kitchen, expecting Ally to be there.

She entered the kitchen and jumped when everyone shouted, "Surprise!"

There was a cake in the middle of the table. She watched as Hailee took her hands from her ears, probably warned that they were going to be loud. She turned to see Lucy on Shawn's lap.

"'appy bifday Mommy," Lauren said, pressing her lips on the newly twenty-eight year old's cheek.

Normani grinned and hugged the girl. She placed Lauren on the ground and walked up to Ally. She kissed her, the adults watching and the children covering their eyes.

"Go, blow out your birthday cake," Ally told her, pushing her away. "I love you."

Normani pressed her lips against Ally's again, muttering, "I love you too."

Normani turned to the table. Dinah lit the candles while Camila sat on a stool, guitar at hand. Normani grabbed Lauren and sat down, with the younger girl on her lap.

Camila started to strum the guitar. Everyone, except Normani and Lauren, sang with her.

_Happy birthday to you_   
_Happy birthday to you_   
_Happy birthday to Normani_   
_Happy birthday to you_

"Help me," Normani told Lauren, who nodded. Together, they blew the candles out. Everyone cheered.

"Okay, everyone to the living room. I want everyone out of my kitchen," Ally told them.

The other three adults and two kids walked out of the room. Normani let Lauren go, but the girl didn't leave.

"'ake f-fow 'aiz an' 'uce," Lauren said, watching Ally cut the cake. Ally placed two pieces on two different plates. She hands them to Lauren, who walks to the living room.

Normani hears a " _T'ank you Lauwie_ " and a low " _T'ank you Wenny_ " from the two girls. Normani shook her head. She had seen the two girls.

"You do know they have a crush on Lauren, right?" Ally asked, moving to straddle Normani's lap.

Normani laughed, putting her hands on Ally's waist.

Ally leaned forward and gently kissed Normani.

"No!" they heard Lauren exclaim. they broke apart and turned to see Lauren glaring at them. "No 'iss. 'ake p'ease."

Ally laughed and moved from Normani's lap. She looked at her fiancée. "You'll save that for tonight. Lauren is sleeping in the living room wit Hailee and Lucy. We can make as much noise as we can."

"What about Mila and Dinah?"

"We don't care about them. We can traumaze them as much as we want," Ally answered, cutting the cake. Lauren grabbed one of the plates and walked to the living room.

"Is that mine?" Dinah asked.

"No," Lauren deadpanned.

"Can you get me one?"

"No."

Normani laughed. She looked at Ally. "She's our daughter. She may not be blood, but she's ours."

Normani grabbed some of the plates and walked into the living room. Everyone was scattered around. Lauren was sitting on the ground, with Lucy and Hailee on either side. Shawn, Camila and Dinah were on one couch. Normani gave three three the plates she was holding. She moved to sit on the other couch.

She turned to the television, but she wasn't able to actual see anything because someone sat on her lap.

"Mommy, I 'aves no p'esen'," Lauren said, a small pout on her face.

Normani shook her head. "No. You, being here, celebrating my birthday with me is the best present I could ever had. This is the best birthday I ever had because it's the first I have with you."

Lauren grinned. "I, I l-love 'ou."

"I love you too Baby," Normani whispered, hugging the girl.

Ever since starting school, Lauren's vocabulary was slowly getting better. They knew they couldn't have Lauren as a child forever. They wanted to help her grow, to be able to be independent. And her vocabulary was one of the first things they wanted work on.

Lauren kissed Normani's cheek, before going back to sit with Hailee and Lucy. Normani laughed when she was both girl try to cuddle with the green eyed girl. And Lauren was oblivious to it.

They all watched television until Shawn had to leave and the girls were asleep on the air mattress the ground. Ally grabbed Normani's hand and pulled her to their bedroom. Ally had Normani lay down on the bed while she went to change.

Normani stayed there, until Ally came back into the room wearing a bath robe.

"Are you ready for your present?" Ally asked, touching the knot on her robe.

Normani nodded. She sat up a little. Her eyes stayed on Ally while the other girl pulled on the string, loosening her bathrobe. She let it open, and pushed it off her shoulders.

Normani watched as the robe pooled on the ground. Her mouth watered as she stared at her fiancée, all in her naked glory.

"Happy birthday to me."

-

Dinah found Lauren on the swing in the backyard. It had been a week since Normani's birthday, so Dinah could take the attention away from her without feeling bad.

Dinah went to sit down next to the girl. "So, how would you like to help me make your Mami happy?"


	39. Be My Princess(es)

 

Dinah was nervous. She had one chance. It could go either way. She could say no, or she could say yes. She looked over to Lauren who was looking at the rings. When Dinah explained what she was planning to do, Lauren decided she wanted to do the same.

"You know the plan?" Dinah asked, looking at Lauren who was looking at the rings her Ma bought her.

"'es. We 'et 'ucy an' 'aiz now?" Lauren asked, putting the box in her pocket.

"Let's go pick up your girls and my girl."

"'es. Mine."

Dinah shook her head. She never expected the younger girl to be such a Lady's Magnet. Any female who met her seemed to fall in love with her. The young girl was becoming dangerous with hearts. Her bright green eyes captivating people so quickly, her innocent voice. Dinah was so sure, if Lauren wanted, she could take over the world by getting into their hearts.

-

"Beash?" Lauren asked, holding both Lucy and Hailee's hands. Normani shook her head. She had been watching both girls, and could see their rivalry when it came to Lauren's attention, but the younger of the three would just equally divide it.

"My p'incessesses tiwed," Lauren answered, looking around.

Normani parked the car. She turned to Ally, who couldn't stop grinning. They all knew what was happening. They were all excited for what was going to happen soon.

The three girls climbed out of the car and waited for their mothers and fathers. Keana had taken time off of work to visit Lucy and meet her friends. Dinah had told her the plan, and Keana just had to be a part of it.

The three sets of family chose a spot between the beach play structure and the water. They took all the blankets and chairs and umbrellas and bags and food.

Hailee stood near her mothers while Lucy stayed with her mother and fathers. Lauren on the other hand went to run in circles in the sand.

No one knew why, but every time the small family went to the beach, Lauren would run in a circle until they were ready to go to the water, Lauren was tired, or they'd coax her with a cookie.

After setting everything up, the mothers, except Brittany, Normani, and Dinah, and the fathers took the girls to the water.

Ally and Keana helped Lucy make a sandcastle.

Lauren was running in the water, giggling when the cool water touched her feet.

Hailee and Anna were at the edge, sitting on the ground. Hailee was curled up at Anna's side.

Camila, Shawn and Austin were deeper into the water, splashing each other. They all stayed there until it was time to eat.

After their lunch, Lauren decided that she wanted to play her Princess and Knights game.

-

Camila, Hailee and Lucy stood in the middle of the play structure as the Princesses waiting to be rescued. Normani and Ally stood on either ends of the play structure. At the bottom of the play structure, Anna and Brittany stood on one side while Austin and Shawn stood at the other. Keana stood a little away from them, recording everything.

Lauren and Dinah held foam swords, as the knights ready to defeat the bad guys.

Dinah nodded to Lauren, who ran to attack Anna and Brittany. Dinah moved to Austin and Shawn and fought them. She was able to stab Austin, "killing" him. He fell to the ground. Shawn leaned over him and "cried". He stood up and charged at Dinah, but end up being stabbed by Dinah. He cried out and crawled to Austin, dying next to him.

At the other side, Lauren was out of control. She just swung her sword around, slashing Anna multiple times. Brittany pushed Anna behind her, ready to defend. Lauren continued slashing, not caring who she hit. She made a stabbing motion, "killing" Brittany. She then used her sword to "slit" Anna's throat. Both women laid, dead.

Lauren and Dinah climbed the play structure. Lauren charged to Normani, who evaded being hit.

Dinah smirked at Ally. "Oh, how I wished to kill you."

Ally laughed. She charged to Dinah. The taller girl just held her off with her hand, and stabbed her. Ally glared at her. "Bitch." Then she died.

Lauren giggled as she swung her sword. Normani begged to be spared, but Lauren just swung, hitting Normani a few times. Normani tripped and fell back. Lauren stood over her and stabbed her, "killing" her.

With all the bad guys killed, Dinah and Lauren ran to the Princesses. Lauren "saved" Lucy and Hailee, while Dinah pulled Camila into her arms.

Lauren released both girl and moved back. She reached into her pocket and took out two rings. She got down on one knee and held them out. "I love 'ou 'wo. Be my P'incessesses fowe'er?"

Lucy and Hailee both nodded and took the rings. Lauren stood up and slid the run on their ring fingers. Lauren turned to Camila. "My wi'es."

Camila laughed. She turned to see Dinah on her knee, a box in front of her. Camila gasped.

"I love you Karla. I love everything about you. I love how your jokes aren't funny, but you laugh. I love how you sit in the corner of our room every night with your guitar because that's when you get inspiration. I love how you saved Lauren even when you didn't need to. I love how your eyes light up when you see pizza and bananas.

"I love how you look at me. How you waited for me when I didn't know if I wanted to be with another girl. How you came to me when I didn't have friends. I love your eyes, your hair, your Cuban butt. I love hearing you sing in Spanish when I'm sick. I love you Karla Camila. I love you so much, it actually hurts. I can't imagine being without you. So, will you be  _my_  princess? Marry me?"

Camila, who started to silently cry, nodded. She watched as Dinah slid the ring onto her finger. She jumped into Dinah's arms and kissed her. When she needed to breath, she pulled back, gasped for air, and kissed her again.

Lauren frowned while she turned to the other two girl. "You no 'iss me?"

Lucy was quicker. She pressed her lips against Lauren's first before moving. Hailee went in and quickly kissed Lauren.

Lauren turned to smirk at Dinah. Dinah looked to Camila. "I get one fiancée and the twerp gets two."

-

Camila turned on her bed to face Dinah. The two women had just finished celebrating their first night as an engaged couple. Camila leaned forward and pressed her lips against Dinah's.

"I'm so glad you said yes," Dinah whispered, reaching over and touching the ring on Camila's finger.

"I'm glad you planned this. It was perfect. I love you fiancée," Camila whispered, pressing her lips against Dinah's. "Round two?"

Dinah giggled and pulled Camila onto her. They weren't going to get any sleep.


	40. Hippopotamus and F Words

 

Lauren walked into the classroom. She sat down in her usual seat, grinning. She felt Hailee and Lucy each kiss her cheek. Her mothers told her the name for the two girls. They were her  _fiancées_. Her mothers told her that Lauren was now engaged to both girls and she could get another girlfriend. She was stuck with Lucy and Hailee until she broke up with them. But Lauren didn't want that. She loved both girls, and she was going to marry them when she could. She was going to make both of them her wife and no one could say anything about that.

-

All of the children were taking their spelling quiz, all except Lauren. The girl was just staring at Brittany with a confused look on her face. Brittany knew that Lauren had a hard time with things, school subjects. All of the other kids were able to tap into their older minds, but Lauren didn't have that. She couldn't think back to what she had learned. She had never gone to school. She didn't know what subjects were. She never got that experience, and it put her at a disadvantage in class. And it showed after every mental break down the girl had whenever she felt like she was  _too stupid_  and couldn't learn.

But Brittany had seen a change in Lauren. The girl was slowly improving her speech. She didn't lisp some words that she used to.

"Hippopotamus," Brittany said, checking off the word on the list. She looked up to see all the students writing some things down.

"Okay, put your pencils down," Brittany said. The kids put the pencils down, and turned their papers around. Brittany went around and collected them.

"Okay, you all have free time while I correct these."

Brittany went threw the quizzes, almost all the kids getting As. And then she got to Lauren's.

The only correct spelling was her own name and the final word of the quiz (it was spelled correctly, but it was the wrong word). Brittany wrote the correct word next to every answer, as she did with the other students'.

_Apel (Apple)_   
_Banananana (Banana)_   
_Luv (Love)_   
_Pinsle (Pencil)_   
_Dex (Desk)_   
_Fuck (Hippopotamus)_

Brittany let out a small laugh when she reached the last word. That was the wrong word, and she had heard about Lauren's potty mouth.

She waited for Lauren's mothers to arrive after class. The always picked her up. And Brittany wanted to talk to them about Lauren, and how she had a heard time picking things up.

Camila and Normani walked in. Hailee and Lauren were coloring together. They sat down at the teacher's table.

"She's failing," Brittany said, staring at the two women in front of her. She placed the latest quiz in front of them. Normani and Camila looked down, seeing the big F on top. "She only spelled that word right."

"H-how?" Normani asked, frowning at the word. She turned to Camila who shrugged.

"I don't go around spelling it." Camila turned to Brittany. "She still doesn't understand?"

Brittany shook her head. "No. She's smart. We know that, but she has a hard time grasping subjects. She has a hard time with  _T_ s and  _R_ s."

"What can we do to help her?" Normani asked, sitting forward.

"We are having a spelling quiz. I can give you a list of words that you can help her practice at home," Brittany said, handing them a piece of paper with a list of words. "Help her learn to write those words. During our quiz, I will choose ten of them. You can also help her with math."

Camila nodded. "We'll get her to spell these words with her eyes closed."

Normani smirked. "She will be a nerd when she comes back."

Brittany shook her head. "I'll hold you up to that."

-

Dinah sat in front Lauren. "Hippopotamus. H-i-p-p-o-p-a-t-a-m-u-s," Dinah told her, smugly.

Camila frowned. "That's wrong."

"No it's not."

"Baby, read the paper."

Dinah sighed and looked at the sheet. "H-i-p-p-o-p,  _oh._ "

"She gets her inability to spell from you," Camila said, shaking her head.

"I don't think I want to get married anymore," Dinah said, pouting.

Camila shook her head. She leaned over and pressed her lips against Dinah's.

"You're supposed to be tutoring Lauren, not eat each other's face," Ally said, entering the room with Normani.

Lauren gasped. Her eyes widened. She moved to cover her face. "No ea'!"

Ally laughed. "Do you know how to spell anything?"

Lauren nodded. She grabbed her paper. She started to write on it.  _F-u-c-k_.

"Who taught you that?" Ally asked, shaking her head.

Lauren pointed to Dinah. The second youngest person looked scandalized. "I did not teach her!"

"What does that say Lauren?"

"Love?"

"You innocent child," Normani whispered, shaking her head.

"Spell Mississippi."

"M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i?" Dinah asked.

Lauren giggled. "Pee-pee."

Normani pulled Lauren onto her lap. "Don't ever grow up."

"Spell  _puppy_  Lolo."

Lauren frowned. "P-u-p-y?"

"Two  _P_ s," Ally said.

Lauren tilted her head, confused.

"You're such a puppy," Dinah muttered.

"Y-you 'og. Bish!"

"Lauren Michelle! Time out."

Lauren pouted. She went to stand at the corner. "Mama, bish, 'irl 'og?"

"Who told you Casper?"

"'ecca."

Normani shook her head. "I knew it. Naya seemed like someone who had no filter. Her daughter would learn those words."

Camila laughed. "We have Dinah, so it's the same thing."

"I'm not the one who taught her the word in the first place," Dinah muttered.

"Yeah Camila," Ally said, smirking.

"I would be talking Ally. I still remember how she learned the  _f word_."

The older couple blushed. Normani cleared her throat. "We should probably continue this, should we?"

"We should move on to math."

-

"You have five cookies, and Dinah wants one, how many do you have left?" Normani asked, showing Lauren the cookies.

"'ive," Lauren answered, staring at the cookies.

"But Dinah takes one."

"No."

"Lauren-"

"Aww mine. No Ma."

"Told you cookies wouldn't work," Ally muttered, shaking her head.

Dinah walked into the living room with broccolis.

"Dinah has seven broccolis, and Mila and I take two each, how many did we take?"

"Ma kiww dem aww. Zewo," Lauren answered, grabbing one broccoli and a sharpie. The girl drew a face on it. "Ma, dis 'oli."

Ally sighed. She grabbed five pencils. "There are five pencils, and I take two. How many are left?"

Lauren frowned. She stared at the remaining pencils on the table. "Thwee?"

The three women cheered. They grabbed more pencils and started to question Lauren.

"I have seven pencils, I get two more, how many do I have?"

"Ni'e?"

"We found a way," Dinah whispered, wiping a fake tear.


	41. Pop Goes the Corn

 

Lauren was staring at the DVD cases in front of her. She was told to pick a movie. They were going to have a family movie night. And they were going to watch movies until they all fell asleep in front of the television. They were going to drink the soda and eat chips. They had already ordered Pizza, which both Camila and Lauren jumped around for. And they were going to make popcorn for the first time. Lauren hadn't had popcorn. She didn't know what it was.

Lauren grabbed the movie with the red dragon, the one with the Hawaiian girl and blue dog. She grabbed the movie with three kids and a yellow rat. She went to Camila and gave her the movies.

"So, Lolo, chose Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and Pokemon the First Movie," Camila read off, placing them on the table with the other choices.

"We'll watch Mulan first. I want to see a girl save all of China," Dinah said, turning to the girls.

"Mulan it is," Normani responded, grabbing the movie and putting it in the DVD player.

Lauren grinned and walked to the kitchen. She watched as Ally poured something onto a pot.

"Wha' doin'? Lauren asked, staring at Ally.

"I'm making popcorn," Ally told her, grinning. "It's set. Now we gotta wait for these to pop."

"Pop? Boom?"

Lauren grabbed a chair and dragged it to the stove. She stood on it, so she could see the whole pot. She watched as one of the corns pops.

"Mama, go pop!" Lauren said, excited. She turned to Ally with a huge smile. She turned back to the corn to see a few more go pop.

"We ea'?"

"Those are for eating," Ally told her, nodding her head.

Lauren kept her eyes on the corn, watching them pop. There was a huge smile on her face.

"'ave now?"

"Not yet. They aren't ready. Why don't you go hang out with Mila while I finish getting the popcorn ready, yeah?"

Lauren nodded her head. She left the kitchen and sat down on the living room. She stared at Camila and Dinah as they poured chips on the bowls.

"I 'ave?" Lauren asked, pointing to the cheese cheetos.

Camila nodded. "Yeah, but not too much. Leave some for us."

Lauren grinned and ran to get some cheetos, choving them into her mouth. She heard a knock at the door. She watched as Normani went to open it. Lauren grinned when she saw the boxes of pizza. She ran behind Normani to the kitchen.

"Get the plates Monster," Normani told her. The young girl got five plates and ran to Normani. "Excited for pizza?"

"'es. Pizza 'ife," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Camila laughed, as she walked in. She grabbed one of plates, opened a box, and placed three slices on her plate. She turned and walked out.

Lauren turned back to Normani. She watched as her Mommy placed a slice of pizza on Lauren's plate. The young girl grabbed it and walked to the living room. She sat down on the beanbag her mothers bought for her. They always argued about who she would sit with, that they decided to let her sit on her own chair.

She looked at her Mami to see her already done with one slice. She looked down at her plate.

Ally, Normani and Dinah walked in. Ally came in with the popcorn. She placed it on the small table in the middle of the living room. Lauren placed her pizza down and crawled toward the table to grab a popcorn. She ate one, smiling.

She had never had popcorn before, and now, eating on, she felt like she was missing on something.

"Do you like it Casper?" Dinah asked, staring at the girl.

Lauren grabbed a handful and shoved it into her mouth, nodding.

She quickly got her pizza, and placed some popcorn on it. She went back to her beanbag and started to eat the food on her plate.

Dinah started the movie, while everyone watched.

-

All four women stood up singing. Lauren ate her popcorn while her eyes shifted from the television to her mothers.

_Tranquil as a forest but on fire within_   
_Once you find your center, you are sure to win_   
_You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot_   
_And you haven't got a clue_   
_Somehow I'll make a man out of you_

Ally sang the next line, jumping over the couch.

_I'm never gonna catch my breath_

Dinah jumped behind her.

_Say goodbye to those who knew me_

Camila tried to karate chop the table while she sang.

_Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym_

Normani took the next to lines, while she fought an imaginary opponent.

_This guy's got 'em scared to death_   
_Hope he doesn't see right through me_

All four women sang together.

_Now I really wish that I knew how to swim_

They all laughed, not finishing the song. Lauren clapped her hands.

-

"O'ana Mama, o'ana," Lauren said, pointing to the television.

"Family," Dinah whispered, grinning. She turning to the film.

Stitch was on the gas tank of a truck looking at Gantu. " _Stupid head_ ," Stitch muttered, before ripping a hole in the tank, letting the gasoline fall into the volcano.

Lauren giggled, turning to Dinah.

"Oh, hell no," Dinah said, glaring.

"'oopid 'ead," Lauren said, a smirk on her face.

Dinah just shook her head. "One day child, one day."

-

" _Pikachu? Pika. Pika-pi. Pika-pi. Pi-ka-CHU!_ "

"Mommy?" Lauren whispered, watching as Pikachu tried to shock Ash back to life.

"It's going to be okay Laur," Normani said from her spot on the couch.

"Mommy, no. 'e, 'e no wa'e," Lauren said, pointing to the stone-Ash.

"He'll be okay Lo, just watch."

Lauren sighed and turned back to the television. All the Pokémon cry. She watched as all the tears went to Ash and he started to glow.

" _Pika-pi_ ," Pikachu whispered, his tears going to Ash.

"Did you know when Pikachu said 'Pika-pi', he's actually saying Ash's Japanese name?" Camila commented, her eyes glued to the television.

"I'm not even going to ask how you know," Dinah muttered, shaking her head.

"SSh," Lauren said, as Ash reconnected with Pikachu and Mewtwo made his speech about everyone being the same, and where they came from didn't matter.

-

Buzz Lightyear reached for Woody's hand. Normani looked over to see Lauren asleep on the beanbag. Popcorn was all over her body, having missed her mouth a few times. She turned to see Ally asleep next to her. Dinah and Camila were giggling softly, whispering to each other. Any other day Normani would have sad something, but they were still in that Cloud 9 after being engaged.

Normani pulled Ally more into her arms. She smiled when Ally curled up on her lap.

"I love you," Normani whispered, staring as her fiancée slept.

"Love you too," Ally muttered in her sleep.

Normani laughed, before turning back to the television, her fiancée in her lap, her daughter asleep not far from her, and her best friends being happy together. Life was good.

 


	42. Girls' Night Out, Boys' Night In

 

"Go, celebrate your anniversary. We know how to take care of Lucy," Camila said, rolling her eyes.

Shawn sighed. He turned to Lucy. "Okay. So Daddy and I have something to do. We will miss you baby." He hugged Lucy and kissed her cheek.

"I miss you too Papi," Lucy whispered into Shawn's ear.

Austin pushing him aside with a smile. "Now it's my turn." He turned to his daughter. "I love you. We will see you in the morning. Be good for your aunts, okay?"

Lucy giggled and nodded. "Love you Daddy."

Austin stood up and pulled Shawn's hand. "We have to go," Austin said, grinning.

"Have fun," Camila said, pulling Lucy into the house.

Austin smirked. He turned to Shawn. He pressed his lips against Shawn's.

" _Leave my house!_ " Camila shouted from the other side of the door.

"Bite me Cabello!" Shawn shouted back, a grin on his face.

" _That's what Austin is there for!_ "

Both men laughed before leaving.

-

Shawn led a blindfolded Austin into their apartment. He looked around, seeing the non-scented candles lit around the room. There was a table cloth over the table, two plates, flowers, and their dinner.

"Can I take this off now?" Austin asked, trying to pull the blindfold off.

"Yeah," Shawn said, moving so his boyfriend could see the whole room.

"How did you do this?"

"Ally and Mani set it up while we dropped Lucy off."

"Is that why Camila didn't want us to leave and then suddenly kicked us out?"

Shawn laughed. "That girl doesn't know subtle. Do you like it?"

"I love it. I can't wait to spend today with you," Austin told him.

-

Normani laughed. She turned to see Dinah. "I win,  _again_."

"It's not fair! You teach dance for a living, it's like competing with Camila on guitars, or Ally on baking, or Lauren and her player ways. It's not fair," Dinah complained, glaring at the older girl.

Normani looked around the arcade to see Ally and Camila playing Guitar Hero, while Lucy and Hailee played on the Air Hockey Table with Lauren cheering for both of them.

"Want to play again?"

"No, we can play the Karaoke game. We will be equally good," Dinah answered, still glaring.

"If you want to lose on something else, I'm okay with that."

They passed by the Air Hockey table where the score was 2-2 and both girls were concentrating. "Who are you going for Monster?"

"'uce an' 'aiz," Lauren answered, her eyes following the puck. Normani laughed, shaking her head.

"I just hope those two realize that Lauren loves them the same before it gets ugly," Dinah whispered, walking to the karaoke, picking a song.

"Why do you get to pick the song?"

"'Cause I'm better."

-

Austin looked up at Shawn. He never imagined his life ending where it was. With a boyfriend who held his heart and a daughter that he loved very much. He grinned when he saw Shawn shovel food into his mouth.

"What are you looking at?" Shawn asked, grinning.

"A masterpiece."

The taller boy blushed. He looked to his plate. "You can't say things like that."

Grinning, Austin asked, "Why not?"

"It makes me fall even more in love with you."

"That's what I want. I want you to love me so much, it hurts to be away from me."

"You're already doing that," Shawn whispered, his twinkling eyes on Austin. "I love you so much. And these last few years have been the best in my life. You were the best thing to happen to me."

Austin narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

Shawn shrugged. "I'm not proposing. Not yet. I wouldn't do that without Lucy. She's an important person in our lives and she need to be here when we take the next step in out lives."

Austin nodded. "I know the feeling. I want her there for every big step we take. I love you.  _God_ , I love you so much Shawn."

-

_Five Years Ago_

Austin took a deep breath. He stared at the flowers in his hand.

Shawn kissed him a year before, and he panicked. He didn't know like what he was feeling. He didn't like the way his stomach turned when Shawn looked at him. He didn't like how Shawn's laughter make his cheeks go red. He didn't like how he wanted Shawn to kiss him again and again.

Normani, who was like an older sister, had talked to him. She told him how she felt when she realized she liked girls. She told him how she wasn't happy until she accepted herself. She told him he didn't have to date Shawn, but he should talk to the boy.

Austin walked to the door and knocked on it. The door opened. He smiled at Karen Mendes. "Hello Mrs. Mendes," Austin said, hiding the flowers behind his back.

"How many times do I have to tell you Austin, call me Karen."

Austin nodded. "Is Shawn home?"

"He's in his room. You can go up there. But please, don't make too much noise, Aaliyah is taking her nap."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Austin felt his face go red. He couldn't look at the women in the eye.

"You know. But go on up."

Austin rushed to his friend/crush's room. He knocked on the door. He entered when he heard Shawn respond.

"Austin, hey," Shawn said, confused. He stood up, watching the other boy enter the room.

"H-hey Shawn. I, uh, I'm sorry I've ignored you. I-It's just, I never, I was confused. I was scared."

"Was?"

"I'm not anymore. I, I got you flowers," Austin said, handing Shawn the flowers.

Shawn took them and stared at them.

"I know this doesn't change the fact that I ended our friendship a year ago. But what you made me feel, it scared me. I never felt that way about anyone. I had to take time to myself to, well, to find myself."

"Did you?"

Austin looked at Shawn with a grin. He took a step towards Shawn and pressed his lips against his.

"I found myself. And I found out what I need. And I need you in my life. I like you Shawn, I really do."

Shawn grinned and reconnected their lips.

-

Lauren shoved some of the ice cream into her mouth. She grinned at Lucy, who she was sharing the sundae with. She turned and took some ice cream from Hailee, who she was sharing ice cream with.

"What are we going to do now?" Ally asked, looking at the three women and three girls in front of her.

"How about we go watch a movie? We're having a girls' night, might as well watch a female superhero," Camila suggested, shrugging. She ate the banana in her banana split.

I'm okay with that," Dinah answered, pulling the bowl from Camila.

"I don't mind," Normani answered, nodding with Ally.

Dinah looked at her spoon, a thoughtful look on her face. "Do you think they make broccoli flavored ice cream?"

The three adults had a disgusted look on their faces. Dinah looked up, only to have some ice cream slam onto her face.

Dinah gasped, turning to glare at Lauren.

"No."

-

Austin and Shawn slow danced in their living room. Shawn pressed his lips against Austin's.

"How about we move this to the bedroom?" Austin whispered, grinning.

Shawn laughed. He grabbed Austin's hand and pulled him to the bedroom. He pushed Austin back onto the bed. He straddled his boyfriend.

"God I love you," Austin said, staring up at his boyfriend. He watched as Shawn stripped off his shirt.

"God, we are so hot together," Shawn told him, grinning.

"Do you find it weird that you were my friend boyfriend, and we've been together for five years without any problems? I mean, the girls are the same. It's a little weird," Austin commented, pulling his own shirt off.

Shawn shrugged. "A little weird. But we were lucky to find our soulmates at a young age."

Austin reached over and hooked his fingers around the belt hoops on Shawn's pants. He pulled Shawn over him. He then rolled them over. "You are my soulmate."

Shawn laughed. "And you are mine."

Austin pressed his lips against Shawn's. He slid his hand into Shawn's pants. He loved hearing the noises Shawn made.

It was going to be a fun night for them. They could be as loud as they want.

-

Lauren sat at the dinner table, eating her cookies. Lucy and Hailee were asleep on the air mattress in the living room.

"How are you doing?" Camila asked, sittting in front of Lauren.

Lauren grinned. "I 'ood. I, uh, I 'appy," Lauren answered, grabbing another cookie. "Wan' 'ookie?"

Camila narrowed her eyes at the child.

"What do you want?"

Lauren just stared at Camila with big eyes. "Ma s'eal 'ookies. I, I 'ed ba'."

Camila stared at Lauren for a second before smiling. "I'll help you get back at her.

 


	43. Laurinah War

****Normani, Ally, and Camila sat down in front of Lauren. Dinah had fallen asleep early.

"I'm not the only who's been pranked by her," Normani commented.

"So we are going to use Lauren as our scapegoat?" Ally questioned, frowning.

"Dinah wouldn't hurt her, but us on the other hand, we'd be fair game," Camila responded.

"Then I guess we are playing the game."

Lauren grinned.

"Can any of you think about any pranks Lauren can do, or we can help her do?" Normani questioned.

"I got some ideas," Ally told them, grinning.

"Ge' ba' a' Ma?"

"We'll help you get revenge."

-

Dinah woke up feeling refreshed. She had a nice sleep, and loved waking up to next to Camila. She sat up, stretching her body. Camila was not next to her. Her fiancée was not there. Fiancée, she loved that word.

She grabbed her clothes for the day. She had planned to brush her teeth and prepare for the day. She opened the door, and walked out.

She slammed against something. She took a step back and stared at that the clear material in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at that.

Someone had saran wrapped her door. She heard giggling from outside the hall. She looked over to see Lauren standing next to Normani.

"This was you?" She asked, giving both a look of surprise.

"No ea' my 'ookies," Lauren told her, turning and walking away.

She smirked. Oh, revenge was going to be so much fun.

-

Lauren sat at the kitchen table. Dinah had cookies in front of her. Lauren looked up to see Dinah distracted. She quickly reached over and snatched a cookie. She bit into it.

Just as quickly as it touched her tongue, she spat it out. It was not chocolate chip. She glared at Dinah.

"No 'ike," Lauren said, rubbing her tongue to rid of the taste. There was an expression of disgust on her face.

"Oh," Dinah said, her eyes wide. "I think those are oatmeal with raisins. This one is the right one." Dinah handed Lauren another cookie. Lauren brought it up to her nose and sniffed it. Once she was able to smell the familiar scent, she bit it, tasting the chocolate chip-ness she loved

Lauren just glared at the woman as she ate the cookie, hoping to take the flavor of that  _fake_  cookie out of her mouth. It was so on.

-

It was some time, but Lauren hadn't gotten revenge. Dinah was so sure she was safe.

She made herself some scramble eggs, as she was hungry. And keeping an eye out for Lauren did take a lot out of her.

She scrambled the eggs in the pan. She poured some salt into it. She finished it and transferred the food onto her plate. Grinning, she went to sit down at the table. She got a spoonful of eggs and shoved it into her mouth. She started to chew it, when she spat it out.

"What the hell!"

Lauren giggled, popping up on the doorway. "No sal'."

Dinah glared at the girl. The eggs had tasted too sweet. She reached for the saltshaker and poured it onto her open palm. She tasted it. It was sugar.

"I'll get you back."

Lauren smiled innocently, before walking away.

-

Lauren woke up from her nap, groggy. Her arms wrapped around Nala and her favorite pacifier in her mouth. She looked around the living room, having woken up there. She looked around, seeing on one. She sat up and got off the couch. She stretched and got off the couch.

"Hey Casper, we have to get changed" Dinah said, from the entryway.

Lauren stood up and took a step towards Dinah, but she ended up falling down onto the ground. She looked at her feet, to see her shoes tied together.

She looked up and glared at Dinah. "'ean."

"You started it, I'm just trying to end it," Dinah told her, a smirk on her face.

Lauren huffed. She just took her shows off and walked to Dinah. The older woman laughed and picked her up. "Let's go loser."

Lauren let out a huff.

-

"How are you two doing?" Camila asked, looking at Dinah.

The younger woman huffed. "Your child is being mean, and I am not having it."

"So she's the only one doing it because  _you_  ate her cookies."

"I didn't know those were hers. She didn't have her name on those," Dinah muttered. She looked up to see her fiancée grinning at her. She could see Ally and Normani standing behind her.

"As long as I get the final word, I won't do anything," Dinah told them, leaning back.

"And if you don't?" Ally questioned.

"What do you know?"

The three women just smirked. Just as Dinah opened her mouth to respond, a loud noise scared her. She rubbed her ear and turned to Lauren who was holding an air horn.

Dinah turned to the other women. "You are so helping her, aren't you?"

"No, this is between you and her. We are just simply, assisting her so it's fair."

Dinah turned to Lauren.  "Watch your back child."

Lauren just grinned.

-

Lauren was picking up her toys. She was told to clean up. She moved her favorite piano, when she saw a spider jump at her. She screamed, dropping the piano. She broke into tears, when she saw the spider.

All of Lauren's mothers ran to her, to find Lauren crying. All, except Dinah, rushed to the girl.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Ally asked, pulling the girl into her arms.

Lauren pointed to the spider.

Normani went to check it out, She reached down and grabbed it. "It's fake. It's not real."

"No 'eal?"

"No," Camila responded, turning to Dinah. "That was mean. Apologize to Lauren."

"B-but she started it!"

"She didn't make you cry," Ally scolded, turning to Dinah.

Dinah sighed. Lauren watched as Dinah walked up to her.

"I'm sorry Casper. I didn't mean to make you cry."

Lauren wrapped her arms around Dinah. "'ou 'ose."

Dinah pulled her away with a gasp. "You sneaky little-"

"Dinah, corner!"

Lauren kissed Dinah's cheek. She wasn't going to lose.

-

"S'ing?" Lauren asked, pointing to the playground in the backyard. Dinah nodded, following close behind Lauren. The younger girl went to sit on one of them, swinging her legs. Dinah watched for a second, before sitting down next to her.

Lauren grinned while Dinah sat on the swing.

"What did you do to me Casper?" Dinah asked, glaring at Lauren. She moved to stand up, but found out she was unable to.

The younger girl shrugged. "S'ay?"

"I can't get off!" Dinah exclaimed.

Lauren giggled. "Why?"

"You glued my ass!"

 


	44. Finding Lauren

 

Simon was holding a small barbecue at his house. He thought it would be great for his wife and son to meet Camila and her family. He hadn't seen her in some time, as he was in Los Angeles working with other artists and paperwork.

He heard the door and went to open it. He smiled, seeing more than the family he was used to.

"Hey, welcome to my house. My wife and son are at the back, you can go there," he said, moving so the group could go to the back. They all left except Camila and Lauren.

"'allo!" Lauren wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.

"Hello my Peanut," Simon said, hugging her back.

"I hope its okay we brought other people. Two of those girl are Lauren's girlfriends."

Simon turned to the girl he was hugging. "Girlfriends?"

"'es. I 'ive dem wings," Lauren told them, grinning up at the guy.

Simon laughed. He turned to Camila, wanting an explanation.

"She proposed to them during Dinah's proposal."

Simon's eyes widened. He turned to look at the ring on Camila's hand. He grinned. He released Lauren and hugged Camila. "Congratulation." He turned back to Lauren. "You too. My girls are engaged."

"'es, 'ank 'ou."

"Thank you," Camila answered, before being led to the backyard. Camila went to introduce Simon to Shawn and Austin who were friends with Camila and the girls since they were kids, and their daughter, Lucy, one of Lauren's fiancées. He then met Anna and Brittany, the latter who was Lauren's teacher, and Hailee, Lauren's other fiancée. Simon watched how both gave him a nervous smile, the latter of the two not touching or looking at him. But he saw how they'd kiss Lauren's cheeks and glare at each other.

Simon introduced the group to his wife, also named Lauren and his son, Eric.

When Simon said he was going to start making the food, the two men offered to help. The girls went to change for the pool.

-

Ally led Lauren to the pool, who sat down at the edge.

"In?"

Ally smiled. "Yeah, you just climb down. Don't jump, okay?"

"O'ay. No 'ump," Lauren repeated, as she got into the pool. Ally held her close. "Mama, 'ike baff."

"Yes, like bath. Want to learn to swim?"

"Swim? 'ike Dowy? 'us' 'eep swimming, 'us 'eep swimming, wha' do, we swim swim swim," Lauren sang, grinning.

Dinah passed by. "Just don't drown."

"Dwown?"

"Yeah, you drown, you die."

Camila swam by and pushed Dinah. "Don't be mean."

Lauren turned back Ally. "I no dwown?"

Ally shook her head. "I won't let go."

"Jack!" Normani exclaimed from one side of the pool. "I'll never let go Jack, I'll never let go."

"And then she lets him go," Anna deadpanned, shaking her head. She was then smacked on the head by Brittany.

"She meant his memory you idiot."

"No hit!" Hailee exclaimed, glaring at her mothers. "No hit."

"Sorry Baby," Brittany said, walking over to Hailee and wrapping her arm around the girl. "We were playing. I didn't do it to hurt you, okay?"

Hailee sighed, and nodded her head. "'kay." She then went to paddle around.

Lucy walked up to Ally and handed her a floaty. "Fow Lauwie."

"Thank you Lucy."

"'es, 'ank 'ou 'uce."

Ally helped Lauren with the floaty, before helping her in the deeper end. They were both floating.

"Mama, I no 'oush 'wound," Lauren said in amazement.

"Yeah, you're floating. And soon, you'll be able to move without touching the ground."

"'eally?" Lauren asked, her eyes wide.

"You'll be a swimming champ soon," Ally whispered,

Lauren, who was on her floaties and holding onto Ally, paddled herself so she could kiss Ally's cheek. "I love 'ou."

Ally smiled, hugging the girl. "I love you too Cookie Monster."

-

"So how long have you been engaged?" Simon asked.

"Two weeks," Dinah answered, reaching over and grabbing Camila's hand.

"'wo wee's," Lauren said, grabbing both Lucy and Hailee's hands.

All the adults laughed, sitting around the table.

"When you getting married?" Simon asked, looking at the engaged girls.

"Ally and I are getting married on July 27th."

"We haven't talked about it," Camila answered for herself and Dinah.

"'es."

Simon and his wife laughed. He turned to the other two couples.

"Britt and I have been married for a few years now."

"Mahone and I are okay with were we are right now.

Normani smiled, seeing everyone eat. She watched as Simon turned to Hailee.

"Do you want more food?" Simon asked the shy girl.

She heard Hailee gasp under her breathe. She started to shake her head.

"N-no. I-I," she took a deep breath, "I 'k-'kay."

Simon turned to her parents with a small frown. They shook their head.

Simon turned to Normani. "Your wedding is close. Are you excited?"

Ally nodded. "I've been waiting for this day since we first met. She's the love of my life."

Normani grinned and connected their lips.

"No 'iss!"

The adults laughed, before eating their food.

-

Hailee swung her legs at the edge of the pool. Her mothers and Lucy's fathers were playing in the pool, Chicken or something. Dinah and Camila were lounging on a chair, acting like a couple. Normani and Ally were just on a corner of the pool. Lucy and Lauren were splashing each other.

Lauren looked over at Hailee and smiled. "'ome p'ay."

Hailee shook her head. Her mothers didn't know about her fear of pools. Not after what her parents did to her in their own pool. Holding her head under when she asked for something to drink when it was hot out.

She watched as Lauren walked up to her. Lucy was behind her, both girls looking concerned. "We p'otec' 'ou. 'ou 'onna be my wi'e."

Hailee took the hand extended to her, and followed her into the pool. Hailee looked around to make sure no one was going to hurt her, before releasing Lauren's hand.

"You gonna be 'kay," Lucy told her, smiling.

Hailee nodded, as she felt the water around her. She took a deep breath. She turned when she felt the small waves move to her. She looked up to see Lauren's green eyes.

"We p'ay? We no 'ur' 'ou," Lauren whispered.

"I twust you and Lu," Hailee whispered. She looked down at the water around her, before splashing both girls. They shrieked, and the water was being splashed around.

-

Austin, Shawn, and Dinah each carried a girl. Two of the three were asleep. Lucy was the only one still awake, and she watched as Simon said goodbye to the girls.

"Bye Jellybean," he said to Lucy, before turning to the mothers. "Take care of my Lamb and Peanut."

Anna opened her mouth, but Camila shook her head.

"He has money, he can do what he wants."


	45. Big Us, Little You (part 1)

 

Hailee and Lucy were sitting on the couch. Lauren was playing on her small piano on the ground at the corner of the room. All the parents, except Dinah and Camila, who were to distract Lauren, sat around the two girls.

None of the parents talked to the two girls about why Lauren was the way she was, especially when it came to school. And they thought it was time. Both Lucy and Hailee were important to Lauren, and they had their own stories. It was time for them to learn Lauren's.

"Lauren isn't like you," Ally told the two girls. She could see the confusion in their eyes.

"Why not?" Lucy asked, turning to look at the girl who was giggling on the ground. Ally looked over to see Lauren playing  _Knights and Princess_  with Dinah and Camila, using stuffed animals. Nala was on her lap.

"Okay, you know how you have little version of yourself?" Normani questioned, before continuing when both girls nodded. "You two also have bigger versions of yourself. One that has an education. The big yous been to school. You have learned. If you guys wanted, if you two were comfortable enough, you'd be able to live a normal life. Lauren, she doesn't have that. She can't, not right now."

"She no have big?" Hailee questioned, frowning. She looked at her own mothers. "Why?"

"Just like your old parents Hailee, or your old foster families Lucy, Lauren's old parents weren't nice. They hurt her, and kept her locked up. She never got to let her brain grow, leaving her stuck as a little," Ally said, giving them a small smile.

"Why people mean?" Hailee whispered, staring at her hands, tears in her eyes.

"They just don't know how to love. Their hearts are too black," Shawn answered, placing his daughter on his lap.

"Lauwie little fowever?"

"We are trying to help her become big. That is why she needs to go to school. We're trying to get her brain better, make it stronger."

"How we help?" Hailee questioned, looking at Ally and Normani.

"Just be yourselves around her. We told you so you could know what is happening, and why sometimes we treat Lauren a bit different. That's why she panics when learning is involved."

"When Wenny sad, we sad."

"We pwotect Lauwie."

"She's lucky to have friends like you."

Lucy shook her head while Hailee spoke. "We lucky."

-

Lucy sat down with Lauren, staring at the girl who's eyes were shining. Lucy's big self had been through a lot. But she got to learn. She was little because she felt safe. She loved having someone look after her, having some  _love_  her.

At lease she knew her birth parents loved her. They didn't just give her away, they died. Lauren and Hailee, they weren't so lucky to have that.

She had an education. She had gotten a GED while living with Keana. Lucy wasn't sure if she wanted to stay little forever, but until she was comfortable, she was going to stay that way.

Looking at Lauren, Lucy felt bad. At least she had a choice on where or not she wanted to be who she was. Lauren was stuck. Her choice was taken from her before she knew she had one.

Lauren handed Lucy a toy car and started driving it around. Lucy stared at the car, then up at Lauren. Seeing the twinkling green eyes, she could see the pure innocence in them. Those eyes alone gave Lucy hope that she'd never go down the rabbit hole again. She was going to be someone Lauren could look up to even after the dark past.

She'd do anything for Lauren.

-

Lauren's parents hurt her, just like Hailee's did. The people who were supposed to protect them and love them, did the opposite. They didn't show any love, only hate. And because of that, two girls were left, damaged.

Hailee went to school. She learned things. She got great grades. She was able to finish school after being adopted by Anna and Brittany. Hailee had a high school diploma, her mothers had gotten a tutor and home schooled her.

Hailee didn't know if she ever wanted to mbe big. The world scared her, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. But if she wanted, she could be big. Lauren, she had to try hard to get that big version of herself.

Lauren handed Hailee a stuffed animal. Hailee stared at it, wondering how things would have been if their birth parents loved them, or in Lucy's case, lived.

She smiled up at Lauren, who was moving her stuff lion around, as if it was walking.

She could see the difference between herself and Lauren. Both were mistreated by loved ones. One stayed their innocent self while the other became scared of life.

Hailee was glad Lauren stayed innocent. Lauren was the light in not only her life, but in Lucy's and Dinah's and Camila's and Ally's and Normani's  and Shawn's and Austin's and Anna's and Brittany's. And that light was special.

And she was going to do anything to keep that light burning.

-

Lauren knew there was something in the other girl's minds. They were quiet and staring at her. They were being weird but she still loved them anyways.

Lauren smiled at the two. "We p'ay?"

Lauren watched as Hailee and Lucy looked at each other before looking at her. She gave them a toothy grin.

"Yes, play," Lucy said, leaning over to Lauren and kissing her cheek. "I love you Lauwie."

"I love you Wenny," Hailee told her, kissing her other cheek. "Play fowever."

Lauren grinning, like the sound of that. "I love 'ou 'oo 'uce, 'aiz."

"We hewe," Lucy whispered.

"A'ways," Hailee added.

Lauren nodded, smiling. "'es. We p'ay now?"

Lucy and Hailee nodded, each reaching for a toy. Lauren grinned, as she grabbed her toys and started to play with them.

She had Lucy and Hailee and her parents and both their parents and that was all she needed.

 


	46. Ma's Day

 

"Do you think she's going to like it?"

"'es."

"She gave me the best thing, I don't know how to top that."

"I' o'ay," Lauren said, patting Camila's leg. The older girl sighed. She looked down at the box in front of her.

"I just love her so much it hurts. And I want her to know it. To know every day, even if I don't say it everyday, you know?"

Lauren shook her head. "No."

Camila laughed, leaning over and kissing Lauren's forehead. "Talking to you makes me see more clearly."

Lauren grinned. "We'ome."

" _Welcome_ ," Camila pronounced, seeing a chance to teach Lauren.

"Wel'ome," Lauren said, frowning.

Camila shrugged. "We are going to teach you to say more."

Lauren just looked down at the coloring book she had.

-

"I be 'ice 'oday," Lauren told Dinah, giving her an innocent smile. She grabbed the broccoli she was holding, and handed it to Dinah. "Fow 'ou. 'appy biffday Ma."

Dinah grinned, finally getting her broccoli. She hugged the girl tightly, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you baby." She moved back. She looked at the broccoli then at the smiling Lauren, then back at the broccoli.

She bit it and ate the bushy part of the broccoli. Lauren gasped, her mouth opened, eyes wide. "No," the girl whispered, staring at 'dead' vegetable. "'oli."

Dinah smirked. "Revenge." She turned and walked away, leaving the distraught girl behind.

-

Dinah had started the amazing, with Camila pleasing her under the sheets. Dinah was in total bliss. Ally made her waffles with blueberries. Normani blasted Beyonce on the speakers, and Lauren had promised to be nice, as much as it hurt her due to the murder of  _'oli_ , Dinah didn't know the full name. After the prank Lauren pulled on her, it felt great to get back at her.

"Why does Lauren look so sad?" Camila asked, walking into the kitchen, giving Dinah a kiss on the lips.

Dinah shrugged. "I don't know. Hey, Casper, why the long face?"

Lauren just glared, not answering. She looked down at the waffled in front of her.

Dinah grinned. She leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. 'oli isn't alone."

Lauren gasped, looking at Dinah. "'e-evin?"

"Yeah, I ate Kevin too."

Lauren started to hum, as she rocked herself.

Dinah ruffled the girl's hair. She turned to her breakfast and ate it, savoring it.

"So, what are we doing for my birthday?"

The adults looked at each other. They turned to Dinah. "It's a surprise."

Dinah sighed. She always wanted to know before hand. But she knew they weren't going to tell her anything. She shrugged and continued to eat her food.

-

"F-fwom Mami and Mommy and me," Hailee said, giving Dinah a box. The birthday girl grinned and opened the box, seeing a shirt with Beyonce on it. She looked up and grinned.

"Thank you, can I hug you?"

Hailee shrugged. "'kay."

Dinah wrapped her arms around the girl, not too tightly to not scare her. Once she let her go, she watched Hailee walk back to sit at her seat. Lauren turned to Hailee. "'ou o'ay?"

"I 'kay," Hailee answered, and kissed Lauren's cheek. "Love you."

"I love 'ou 'oo."

Dinah turned to look at Lucy, who was holding another box.

"My Papi and Daddy and I fow you," Lucy said, handing her the box.

Dinah opened it and found three Beyonce records. She grinned and hugged Lucy. "Thank you!"

Ally gave Dinah a brownie pass (she'd make brownies for Dinah whenever she wanted any). Normani gave a $100 iTunes gift card. It was then Lauren's turn. The young girl gave her a small box. Dinah opened it and saw a small locket.

"Lauren," Dinah whispered, taking the locket out of the box and opening it. Her heart swelled when she saw the picture on the right side, before looking at the left side, and laughing.

The picture on the right side was a picture of herself with Lauren kissing her cheek. It was adorable.

On the left was a picture of a broccoli. She laughed again, not being able to stop. She looked at Lauren. "Really?"

Lauren blushed and looked to the ground. "I' 'oli. 'e-he love 'ou 'oo, bu' 'ou kiww 'im."

Dinah grabbed the girl and gave her a tight hug. She wiped the tears in her eyes and kissed her cheek. "I love you.  _God_ , I love you," Dinah whispered, giving the girl another kiss.

Normani took the locket and looked at it, before laughing. She handed it to Ally, who had the same reaction. She showed Camila, Lucy and Hailee, who all laughed too.

Dinah released Lauren and let her go sit down. She turned to Camila, who looked nervous. The shorter girl walked over to her and stood in front of Dinah.

"You have given me so much. I had a hard time thinking of something to give you, that could even hold a candle to what you gave me. So I looked at my ring, I love looking at it al the time. It makes me feel like you'll there with me. And I want you to know that feeling. You deserve my love and the whole world. You have no idea how happy you make me. So I decided to do this.

"I know you proposed to me, and I don't have to, but I want to. I  _need_  to. I need to show you how much I love you. I need you to know what you mean to me. I need you to know that I'll alway be here. I need you to know, because you are the love of my life. You are the light that gives me the will to live. I need you in my life. And with this ring, I'm promising you that. I promise to keep you in my heart and mind at all times. No matter what, you will be my person. Will you marry me Dinah?" Camila asked, getting down on one knee and opening the velvet box, revealing a box.

Dinah let out a watery laugh. She nodded her head and offered Camila her hand so she could slide the ring onto the finger.

"Why the fuck do you have to show us up?" Ally muttered, glaring at the girl.

Dinah smirked as she looked at Ally. "Did you just say the F-word?"

Ally's eyes widened. "N-no."

"'es, Mama say bad wor'!"

"Allyson Brook Hernandez, you are going to the corner when we get home. You will have twice the time since you denied it."

Ally sighed.

Dinah loved her birthday. She was able to get revenge.

Happy birthday to her.


	47. School's Out

 

Lauren grinned, while she showed her mothers the drawing she made. It was the last day of school and it was also known as Parents' Day. All the parents showed up to see what their kids had done and the awards they were going to receive.

Lauren looked at her mothers, to see Dinah in the middle of an arm wrestle with one of Becca's mothers, Naya.

She sighed, knowing that was going to happen. She and Becca butted heads a lot.

"Naya, stop it," Heather told her wife, trying to pull her away.

Camila just sighed, not even trying.

"Mami, why?" Lauren asked, slightly disappointed. She had wanted her mothers to see everything she had done, and be proud of it, not get into a competition with someone else.

"I don't know baby, but why don't you show me your drawings?"

Lauren grabbed her hand and pulled her away. She could hear cheers in the background.

"Beat her mommy!" Becca exclaimed, laughing.

Lauren just sighed, pointing to the drawing on the wall.

-

"You're one of Lauren's mothers, right?" Ally heard someone ask. She turned to see a man standing in front of her.

"Yeah, she has three other mothers. We're not all together though, we are all just raising the same girl," Ally ranted, smiling.

The man laughed. "It's okay. We were told what was up. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Stephen Amell."

Ally smiled, nodding. She shook his offered hand. "Ally Hernandez."

Stephen nodded and sat down next to her. "Which one is your partner? I would say girlfriend, but I don't know what your are."

"The one with Lauren, Normani Hamilton. We are engaged, getting married in a little over a month," Ally said, grinning.

Normani was with Lauren and Camila, talking to another woman and girl. Lauren was giggling, while she talked.

"Oh, that's my wife, Katie and our daughter Willa," Stephen told her, grinning. He turne to look at her. "I know this is a little weird, me coming here to talk to you when we don't know each other, but I try to make it out of my way to meet every parents and child."

Ally shook her head. "No, we get it. We would too, but we've been in our little bubble. But tell me about everyone here, the kids. What's the gossip?"

Stephen then went on the talk about all the kids and their parents, how he believed Grand and Melissa (the two superhero lovers) and Britt and Dylan (the two supernatural creature lovers) were dating. He talked about how Becca and Melissa's mothers went to the same high school and became friends there. he talked about how Blake and Jacob could have been twins, as they were the same and hitting on every girl. He talked about how Willa and Ben were two shy kids who stuck together because of their shyness. He talked about about how Lauren, Lucy and Hailee were known as the  _It_  couple, even though the kids didn't even know what that meant in their little minds.

Towards the middle of the conversation, Brittany told them it was time for the game portion.

-

Camila stood behind Brittany, a dry erase marker in her hand. Brittany stood in the middle. One parents was sitting with their child, as they had a team spelling bee. The parents was to word it out, while the child had to write what they heard.

Camila and Brittany had the teams and points on the wall.

_Hailee & Anna K. (Ally): 3_   
_Grant & Darren (Chris): 5_   
_Melissa & Dianna (Lea): 6_   
_Willa & Stephen (Katie): 5_   
_Ben & Skylar (Anna C.): 4_   
_Jacob & Matthew: 4_   
_Blake & Jayma: 4_   
_Britt & Shelley (Tim): 5_   
_Dylan & Tyler (Crystal): 5_   
_Lucy & Austin (Shawn): 3_   
_Lauren & Dinah (Normani): 1_   
_Becca & Naya (Heather): 1_

Ally took Brittany's place as Anna's replacement. Jacob and Blake were the sons of both Matthew and Jayma (they chose to not to have replacements).

"You're my wife, can't you help us?" Anna asked, pouting. "We should be winning!"

Ally laughed and shook her head. "That's cheating."

"Eat my dust," Naya snarled at Dinah, who glared back.

Lauren sighed, and turned to the teacher. Camila could see that Lauren had given up hope on winning.

"Dinosaur."

Lauren turned to Dinah, who was glaring at Naya. Lauren just drew a dog. When Brittany said to turn the white boards around, only Melissa, Grant, Dylan and Brittany had it correct.

Lauren raised her hand. Brittany called on her. "I wid, we, uh, we 'osin'."

"'itter," Becca muttered under breath.

"Shud up!"

"You shut up!"

Lauren glared at the blond girl. "I bea' 'ou!"

Becca smirked, as Naya placed her hand on her daughter. "That's my girl."

"Both of you are going down," Dinah said, placing her own hand on Lauren.

Camila sighed. Dinah meeting Naya was the worst thing to have happened to them. They were too alike. The day was not going to end well.

-

Hailee and Lucy were sitting together. All the kids were allowed to play, while the adults talked about what was going to happen next year. Lauren was trying to beat Becca at CandyLand. At the moment, Ben was winning.

"Hi," a voice said. Both girls looked up, frowning. They saw two classmates, Jacob and Blake standing in front of them.

"Hi," Lucy said, frowning. Hailee looked back down at the ground.

"Two you, two us, we date?" Jacob asked, looking a little smug.

Lucy shook her head. "No."

The smug look vanished. "Why? We cute."

"No."

"C'mon," he said, frowning.

"We no want," Lucy told him, seeing how Hailee seemed to tense up. The girl's eyes shut. She let out small whimpers that only she heard because she was really close.

"'eave," another voice cut in.

Jacob, Blake, and Lucy turned to see Lauren there.

"No," Jacob said, glaring at Lauren.

" _'eave_ ," Lauren said in an angry voice, her fists clenching shut.

"We twying to talk," Blake said, standing behind his brother.

"Dey no wan' 'o 'alk," Lauren told them, moving so she was standing between the boys and the girls.

Jacob glared at Lauren and pushed her down. Lauren tumbled back and fell down.

Hailee yelped and started to cry. Lucy reached over and hugged her.

Lauren pushed herself up and punched Jacob on the face.

"Hey!" someone else exclaimed. Everyone turned to see the parents standing there with Ben. He must have gone to get them. Lauren's mothers and Jacob's parents rushed to them. Hailee and Lucy's parents ran to check on their crying girls.

Jacob had started crying.

Ally gave Lauren a stern look. "We don't hit people Lauren. When we get home, you are going to the corner until we think-"

"No," Becca cut in, walking towards them.

"Lo not start it," Melissa added.

Grant grabbed Melissa's hand. "Jacob bug Hailee an' Lucy."

Ben nodded. "They say no."

"But dey no stawp," Dylan said, from his spot behind Britt.

"Jacob push Lo," Britt intersected.

"Lo figh' back," Willa finished, smiling.

"Jacob Morrison, Blake Morrison, you were not bugging these girls, were you?" Jayma asked, staring at her sons who didn't make eye contact. "Apologize now."

The boys gave them a lame apology, which none of the girls accepted. Jacob and Blake were then led out of the room.

Normani sighed. "Are you okay?"

Lauren nodded.

"We don't hit, okay? We'll let it pass this time because you were defending your friends, but-"

"No f'iends,  _wi'es_."

"Okay, you were defending your  _wifes_ ," Normani laughed when Lauren nodded, "but next time, get an adult, okay?"

"'es. We 'o 'ome now?"

"School is over, we can go home now," Camila said, pushing Lauren.

Lucy was curled up on Shawn's lap, wiping the tears in her eyes. Lauren walked over to them. She went to Lucy first.

"'ou o'ay?" Lauren asked Lucy, reaching over to hold her hand.

"Yes, I 'kay. T'ank you," Lucy said, quickly pecking Lauren's lips. The younger girl grinned before heading to Hailee who had just stopped crying.

"I sowwy I no fas'," Lauren told Hailee, who slowly uncurled herself.

Hailee shook her head. "You pwotect me. Tank you."

Lauren leaned over to give Hailee a quick kiss.

Lauren, Camila, and Normani said their goodbyes and walked out. Ally and Dinah then told the parents about Lauren's birthday party and that everyone in the room were invited.

Dinah and Naya had a stare down, before both laughing and hugging. Lucy shook her head. They had a weird friendship.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This are the kids and where I got them from:
> 
> Pitch Perfect:  
> Hailee Kendrick-Snow (Steinfeld) [Emily] & Anna Kendrick [Beca] & Brittany Snow [Chloe]  
> Ben Platt [Benji] & Skylar Astin [Jesse] & Anna Camp [Aubrey]
> 
> Glee:  
> Grant Gustin [Sebastian/Barry] & Darren Criss [Blaine] & Chris Colfer [Kurt]  
> Melissa Benoist [Marley/Kara] & Dianna Agron [Quinn] & Lea Michelle [Rachel]  
> Jacob Artist [Jake] & Blake Jenner [Ryder] & Matthew Morrison [Mr. Schue] & Jayma Mays [Ms. Pillsbury]  
> Becca Tobin [Kitty] & Naya Rivera [Santana] & Heather Morris [Brittany]
> 
> Arrow:  
> Willa Holland [Thea] & Stephen Amell [Oliver] & Katie Cassidy [Laurel]
> 
> Teen Wolf:  
> Dylan O'Brien [Stiles] & Tyler Posey [Scott] & Crystal Reed [Allison]
> 
> Secret Circle:  
> Britt(any) Robertson [Cassie] & Shelley Hennig [Diana] & Tim Phillipps [Grant]
> 
> Other:  
> Lucy Vives & Austin Mahone & Shawn Mendes & Keana Issartel  
> Lauren Jauregui & Dinah Jane Hansen & Camila Cabello & Normani Hamilton & Ally Hernandez


	48. The Challenge

Lucy and Hailee glared at each other. The hazel eyed girl grabbed one of the cookies and threw it at Lucy.

Everyone gasped, not expecting that from the usually shy, calm girl.

-

_A Few Hours Earlier_

Lauren was jumping in place. She was told that her mothers were taking her to the park and Lucy and Hailee were going as well. Lauren was excited to spend the day at the park with her wives, as they hadn't been able to since the proposals.

"Lolo, go put on your shoes," Camila said, pointing to the shoes at the door. Lauren ran to place her shoes on each foot. She looked up at her mami when she had her shoes on her feet. "Try to tie them yourself."

Lauren nodded, turning her attentions to her shoes. She grabbed the shoelaces.

Camila started to tell Lauren the rhyme.

"Over, under, pull it tight. Make a bow, pull it through to do it right."

Lauren followed her instruction, grinning when she pulled the ends. She had gone wrong somewhere in the middle, as the knot came undone.

"Oops," Lauren said, looking up at Camila.

Her mother laughed, crouching down to tie her shoes. "One day, we are going to get it right."

"'es, we will," Lauren responded, nodding her head. Once Camila was done, she stood up and turned to Lauren.

"Once your moms get here, we'll leave, okay?"

"O'ay. We 'o soon."

It didn't take long for all the mothers to walk to the front door. Everyone got into Ally's van and once they were buckled, they went off to pick up Hailee, who lived closer. The girl grinned Lauren. The younger girl had gotten the window seat, meaning only one person was able to sit next to her.

When Lucy arrived at the car, she had a disappointed look when she sat down next to Hailee. The girl in the middle was holding the green eyed girl's hand, while the other girl watched.

"I think this is it," Camila whispered from her place in the middle of the car.

"It's gonna blow," Dinah added, letting out a small laugh.

Lauren stared out the window, not seeing the glares the two other girls were shooting each other.

-

Lauren stood at the top of the play structure. Lucy and Hailee were on climbing to ladder/stairs, trying to get to her first. Lauren was oblivious to Lucy and Hailee's rivalry.

"We 'o down?" Lauren asked, pointing to the slide.

Lucy and Hailee both nodded.

"I go wit you," Lucy said, making a show for Lauren to go first.

"No, me," Hailee intersected raising her hand.

"Me."

"Me."

"No!"

"Yes!"

Lauren just stood there, watching as both girls seemed to argue. They were busy arguing, none of them seemed to want to go down the slide. Lauren just stood there, a frown on her face.

"Girls, we have lunch," Dinah told them, signaling for them to go to the tables they had gotten.

Lauren sighed, and went to down the slide. Both Lucy and Hailee ran after her, each grabbing a hand and pulling her. Lauren winced when she felt both girls yank her. It had hurt a little.

She ended up sitting between both girls while her mothers prepared their plates. Lauren grinned at the sandwich being placed in front of her. She said her  _thank_   _you_  and started to eat it.

Hailee and Lucy were given their sandwiches and both girls glared at each other as they ate. Lauren had never seen both girls act like that. They were usually so sweet to each other. Lauren just ate her sandwich.

-

"I give it five minutes," Camila whispered from the other table. All four mothers were on the next table, watching the three girls. They could feel the tension between Lucy and Hailee, and they could see how it was affecting Lauren. The girl seemed to notice it, and could see frustration build up.

Lauren finished her sandwich. Hailee and Lucy were three fourths done with theirs. They had noticed that Lauren finished her sandwich and were quick to offer theirs.

"No 'ank 'ou," Lauren whispered, shaking her head.

"I give you mine," Hailee said, pushing her sandwich in front of Lauren.

"No, have mine," Lucy countered, doing the same. The two plates crashed into each other, causing the sandwiches to fall out the plates, slip off the table and onto Lauren's lap. The young girl whined, when her pants became stained from the condiments of the sandwiches.

Lucy and Hailee both grabbed a napkin, and tried to beat the other first to clean the younger girl's pants. They used a little more strength, slightly punching Lauren. The girl whimpered upon impact.

"At least Lauren wasn't a boy," Dinah commented, standing up. She and Normani went to help Lauren and wipe her pants as much as the could. The young girl just pouted.

Lucy and Hailee glared at each other. The hazel eyed girl grabbed one of Lauren's cookies and threw it at Lucy.

Everyone gasped, not expecting that from the usually shy, calm girl.

"Hailee Kendrick-Snow," Ally said, sternly. She gave the girl a look.

"She hurt Wenny," Hailee said, pouting.

"We don't throw things. You are going to sit here and think about what you did, okay?"

The girl sighed. "'kay."

Dinah picked her daughter and placed her on the bench on the other side of table.

"Finish eating. You can go play after you finish. Hailee, you're in timeout for ten minutes."

"'kay," Hailee said, before grabbing the cookies placed in front of her. She looked at Lucy who looked smug.

Normani shook her head. The day is not going to end well.

-

Lauren looked over to see Hailee swinging herself. Her timeout was over, and she hadn't reunited with them. She was by herself while Lauren and Lucy played at the monkey bars. Lauren decided to go over and sit on the swing next to her. She grinned at Hailee.

Lucy walked over to them and stood there, while Hailee and Lauren swung on the swings.

"Push me!" Lauren giggled, swinging her legs. She laughed when she felt Lucy push her so she could go higher. "Push 'aiz!"

Lauren looked over to see Lucy push Hailee a little too hard. The girl fell off the swing and land on the sand. She gasped and turned to look at Lucy, who looked shocked. Hailee started to cry.

Lauren felt tears in her own eyes as her friends kept on hurting each other. Normani and Ally walked over to them and placed Lucy on time out while Ally tried to calm down Hailee.

The two girls were taken away, just leaving Lauren alone on the swing. She just kicked her feet, wishing she was home because the park wasn't fun anymore.

-

It was getting closer to the end of the night and the ice cream truck was passing by. The adults decided to give the girls some ice cream, as there hadn't been any problems.

They all went to the ice cream truck, where Camila ordered them single scoop cones. Camila passed Hailee Lauren's cone to hand her, but Lucy wanted to do it. When she went to snatch it, it cracked and the ice cream fell to the ground.

Lauren stared at the ice cream on the ground, before looking at the two girl who were arguing. Camila quickly paid for the broken ice cream and pushed them all away.

Hailee and Lucy started to push each other, and Lauren exploded.

"S'awp! 'us' s'awp!" Lauren glared at the two girls. "No. I done. I no wan' 'owe." She turned and walked away. All she wanted was for the three to have a good day, not fight. Lauren didn't want her friends to fight. "I no wan' wi'es. I done." Lauren pushed herself into Normani's arms and started to cry. She just sobbed, causing Hailee and Lucy to hang their heads.

In the car, Lauren didn't sit with the two girls. After dropping each girl off, they tried to apologize, but Lauren just ignored them.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Dinah asked, seeing the tears that had yet to stop appearing.

Lauren shook her head. "I wan' s'eep. I sad."

Dinah sighed, before nodding. She exchanged looks with the other women. Lauren just curled up on Camila's side and silently cried with her mother rubbing circles on her arm.

"It's going to be okay. It'll all be okay."

 


	49. You and Me and Her

 

Hailee stared at the ring on her hand. The ring Lauren gave to her. Hailee wasn't stupid, she knew they weren't really engaged. She knew Lauren didn't really know what that meant. But the ring, it meant a lot to Hailee. She was jealous. She knew that Lauren and Lucy were friends before she came along, and if Lauren never went to school, they'd still have each other while Hailee would still have no one.

Hailee wanted to show Lauren how much she meant. She wanted to show that she loved Lauren more than Lucy did. But then it started being less about loving Lauren, and more of beating Lucy.

Hailee wiped the tears in her eyes. She stood up and went to her mothers. She had to make things right again.

-

Lucy was mad. She was mad at Hailee. She was mad at herself for hurting Lauren. She had heard a phone conversation between one of Lauren's mothers and her Daddy. She heard that Lauren hadn't eaten a cookie and was just sad. Not even hearing about her birthday cheered her up, and it was all her fault. She pretty much ruined the best thing to ever had just because she didn't want to share Lauren. And now. the green eyed girl had to pay for that.

Lauren was her best friend. She was her first friend. She made her feel safe, and helped get her out of her shell. She was sweet, full of joy. And she helped ruin that.

Lucy sighed, before heading to her fathers' room. She had to fix what she ruined.

-

This was a first. It was the first time they were going to be together without Lauren. It was the first time Big Lucy and Big Hailee were going to meet.

Their parents sat on another booth, while both girls sat across from each other. Neither knew what to say, how to start. They knew they had to make up somehow because their friendship with Lauren was on the line.

"I-I'm sorry," Hailee whispered, staring at the table. Although Little Hailee could look at Lucy in the eye, Big Hailee couldn't. Little Hailee hadn't gone through the trauma Big Hailee did, she just knew it happened. Big Hailee wasn't as trusting, and that said a lot.

Lucy sighed. Big Lucy was territorial, more so than Little Lucy, but she knew when she was wrong. She just didn't want to lose people in her life, not again. Not ever. "I'm sorry too. I was jealous, and I didn't mean to be mean. I just wanted Lauren to myself."

"She was my friend too. But, i-if you want me to leave, I'll stop being her friend," Hailee said in a small voice. She knew when to give up, and she didn't like making people mad.

Lucy shook her head. "No. I want to be your friend. It's just that, Lauren was my first friend, my first actual friend. I grew up in foster homes, I got into bad things growing up. Lauren was the first person I befriended that wanted to protect me, and I guess, I didn't want to share."

"I get it. M-my b-birth parents, th-they hit me a-a lot. And people a-at my school, th-they'd bully me. I-I guess having someone other than my Mami and Mommy care about me, I wanted to hold on."

"I care too. I know I haven't shown it, but you are my second friend. You're my only other friend, and I care. I'm sorry I didn't show you. I'm sorry I was blind to you trying to be my friend, Hailee."

Hailee slowly looked up to see the pure honesty in Lucy's eyes.

"C-can we start over?"

Lucy smiled and nodded. "Yeah. And Lauren was our girlfriend, I guess that makes us girlfriends." Lucy stood up and slowly leaned over the table to connect their lips. She did it slowly, as to not scare Hailee. The other girl smiled against her lips and reciprocated it.

Their relationship was just as special.

-

Big Hailee and Big Lucy had made up, Little Hailee and Little Lucy now needed to bond. Little Hailee and Little Lucy knew that their rivalry was put to an end. Now, they just had to find a common ground.

They had gone to the Mahone-Mendes apartment for so Lucy and Hailee could get into their headspace. Lucy held onto her Bambi as she and Hailee stood in the middle of her room.

"Bambi my favowite too," Hailee told Lucy, pointing to the stuffed deer.

"Weally?" Lucy asked, shocked.

"Yes." Hailee nodded her head, a grin on her face.

Lucy stared at her for a second, trying to decided on how she felt about that. She slowly nodded too. "'kay. Gweat." She grinned. Lucy ran to her bed to get her Thumper so Hailee could play with her.

The adults had gone to living room to talk and bond as well.

Hailee and Lucy played with the stuffed creatures, giggling as she changed their voices.

Hailee pointed to the stuffed brownie on Lucy's bed. "No eat?"

"No. It pwesent. Lauwie give me," Lucy said, proudly.

Hailee's smile fell off her face. "Oh." She wasn't jealous of Lauren and Lucy's friendship, she wasn't. She was just sad that she wasn't given anything by a friend.

Lucy noticed the smile leave her face. She smiled. "Thumpy youws."

"Wha'?"

"I give Thumpy you," Lucy said, grinning. "Pwesent."

Hailee smiled, tears in her eyes. She crawled over and kissed Lucy's cheek. "Tank you. I love."

"We fwiends, we give," Lucy said, shrugging, but she was grinning.

"Yes, we fwiends," Hailee repeated, grinning.

Lucy stood up and inched towards the door. "You wait, I get cookies an' bwonies an' ice cweam."

Hailee grinned as she watched her second friend leave the room to get them snacks.

-

"C'mon Lolo, lets go to the living room to watch tv," Camila suggested, but the young girl just shook her head and turned to face the wall. Nala was pressed her face, soaking up her tears.

"How about the Cookie Monster and I bake cookies?"

"No wan'."

Ally and Camila looked at each other. There had been a knock on the door, and both Normani and Dinah went to answer it, neither wanted to see the sad Lauren.

"Hey Monster, look who came," Dinah said, from the doorway. Lauren looked over to look at Hailee and Lucy standing there. She sighed, and turned back around.

Normani pushed both girls into the room. "We'll let your guys talk, we'll be outside." Normani waited for the older women to leave, before closing the door.

Hailee and Lucy looked at each other. "Lauwie?"

Lauren curled up into a tighter ball on the bed. "No."

"We sowwy Wenny," Hailee said, walking closer to the girl.

"No, 'eave me!" Lauren covered her ears.

"We no want to hurt you." Lucy moved to sit down on the bed with Lauren. She reached over to touch Lauren's shoulder, but the girl recoiled.

"Lu an' I fwiends. We no figh' anymowe."

Lauren relaxed just a bit.

"We talk Lauwie. We talk an' we make up. We fwiends now."

"No mean?" Lauren whispered, taking her hands off her ears. She turned to face the two girls.

"We no figh' anymowe. We nice now."

"We sowwy Lauren," Hailee whispered, reached over to grab her hand.

Lauren looked down at it, before turning to Hailee, then Lucy.

"P'omise?"

Both Hailee and Lucy nodded. "Yes, we pwomise." The both leaned over and kissed Lauren's cheeks.

"O'ay, I fow'ive 'ou," Lauren said, smiling. She leaned over and pressed her lips against Lucy's, then Hailee, and grinned when she saw no malice in either of their eyes. "We 'ood."


	50. Seventeen

 

Cookies. She could smell warm, fresh cookies. Lauren opened her eyes to see a plate of freshly baked cookies in front of her. She tried to reach for one. "'ookies?" Lauren asked, in her sleepy voice.

Ally grinned. "For you. Happy birthday baby." Ally deflected her hand and placed it on the bed, not letting her grab the cookie. "You'll have the cookie later."

"Biffday, mine?" Lauren asked, sitting up. "'ow old?"

"You're seventeen," Ally said, standing up and offering her hand to Lauren.

The young girl took it. "Da' old?"

Lauren took it and followed her Mama to the restroom. She was helped by her mother to brush her teeth. Once she was done, Ally took her to the kitchen, were the table was filled with pancakes, muffins and cookies. Lauren looked around the table to see all her other mothers.

"Happy birthday Lolo!"

"Happy birthday Casper!"

"Happy birthday Monster!"

"'ank 'ou. Biffday, mine," Lauren said, giggling. She went to hug each of her mothers, giving them a kiss on the cheek.

She sat down and looked at her mothers, looking expectantly.

Camila placed a muffin with a candle over it in front of Lauren. The girl grinned while her mothers sang to her. She giggled and blew the candle out.

"We 'ud i'?" Lauren asked, looking around. Her mothers looked at her, probably confused. "'ife. 'ud," Lauren repeated, making a cutting motion on the muffin.

"Oh, there are others Baby, we can eat them," Ally said, pointing to the other muffins on the table.

Lauren shook her head. "We 'awe, 'ike Mommy an' Ma."

Ally shook her head. She went, got a knife, and cut the muffin into five pieces. Each person took one and ate it, pretty quickly. It was gone within seconds.

"Can we eat breakfast now?" Dinah asked, sitting down. The others followed and sat around the table. Lauren's plate was filled with pancakes and cookies and muffins. She ate as much as she could, before giving up on eating.

"Let's get you showered and dressed, okay?" Normani asked, picking the girl up. Lauren wrapped her legs and arms around her Mommy and kissed her cheek.

"I bi', I baff myse'f?" Lauren asked, tilting her head.

"How about some other day, we teach you how to take a bath all by yourself?"

"O'ay. I bi' now?"

Normani nodded. "You are our big girl. Happy birthday."

Lauren kissed her cheek and giggled. She was excited to celebrate her birthday, even though she didn't know what she was going to do. But she was excited. It was her first birthday. She was seventeen.

-

Balloons everywhere: green, blue, pink and much more. There were streamers falling off trees. Two tables filled with plates, cups, napkins, and food. There were two grills turned on, patties being on them. People were everywhere. The park they were at wasn't like the others. Their area had been sectioned off, and parties were going on at different parts of the park.

Lauren's family and friends were everywhere. The birthday girl and her mothers had yet to arrive, but everyone else were helping set up. They wanted it to be special. Her grandparents and adults knew about it being Lauren's first birthday and that her mothers wanted to make up for the last sixteen.

"They're coming!" Brandon Hernandez exclaimed. Everyone rushed to finish the last few touches.

Brandon could see Lauren (the only person he didn't know). She was walking between Dinah and Normani. The girl's eyes were blindfolded, as her mothers led her to their area.

His cousin, Sofia Cabello ran to her sister and hugged her. Camila hugged her back.

"Now?" Brandon could hear Lauren's child-like voice. He smiled, seeing the pout on her face. He turned to look at his sister, to see her staring at Lauren. He could see the love in her eyes.

Brandon had never felt more proud of his sister, watching her around her now-seventeen year old daughter who she found in the streets.

-

"We are going to take this off your eyes, okay?" Ally said, grinning.

Lauren nodded enthusiastically. Camila untied the blindfold, allowing the girl to see what had been though for her. Her mothers laughed when they heard Lauren gasped. She turned to look at the four women. "Fow me?"

"It's all for you. Everyone is here for you," Dinah said, grinning. 'Happy birthday."

"Mine," Lauren whispered, in awe. Ally looked up at her fiancée, her cousin, and her best friend. They all had tears in their eyes.

"It's not fair that she never got to experience this," Camila whispered,

"Life kicks her around sometimes," Dinah muttered, pulling her fiancée into her arms.

"Mama! 'ook, 'oons! An' p'esen's! An' 'ood fow Mami!" Lauren exclaimed pointing at the different things. "I' fow me!"

"Let's go say hi to some people who want to say happy birthday, okay?" Normani said, grinning.

"'es, biffday, mine," Lauren giggled. She grabbed the two hands closest to her (Dinah and Normani) and pulled them towards the crowd.

"Lauwie!"

"Wennie!"

Lauren released both hands and hugged the other two girls. Lucy and Hailee kissed Lauren's cheeks.

"Happy biwthday!" they both exclaimed, giving Lauren bags.

"'ank 'ou. Love 'ou," Lauren gushed, moving to sit on the ground to open the bags.

Camila quickly snatched the bags. "No, greet everyone, we celebrate, and later, you'll open your presents."

"P'ease?"

"No, and don't use your eyes on me!" Camila exclaimed, turning her back to the girl.

Lauren let out a sigh and stood up. "O'ay. 'aiz an' 'uce 'ome 'oo?"

"Let's go," Camila said, signaling for them to follow her.

"Happy birthday Lo," Shawn said, hugging her.

Austin slipped $50 dollars into her hand. "Don't let your Mami take it. Happy birthday."

Lauren stuffed them into her pocket and turned to Anna. "Happy birthday little girl."

Brittany just pushed Anna away. "Happy birthday Lauren."

"'ank 'ou!" Lauren said, grinning at the two pairs.

Lauren greeted her classmates and their parents.

"'emi!" Lauren rushed to hug her doctor. "'emi, dis my wi'es, 'ucy an' 'ai'ee."

Demi turned to the other two girls. "Wives?"

"'es, I mawwy?" Lauren asked, turning to her mothers.

"Yeah, when you are older," Dinah muttered, shaking her head. "How does this girl get two fiancées?"

"Let. It. Go," Camila told her, smiling.

"'allo 'ena," Lauren said, waving at Selena. "Biffday, mine."

Selena laughed. "Happy birthday."

"Happy birthday," two people the girls hadn't ever seen said.

"Girls, this is my best friend Nick Jonas, and his girlfriend, Olivia Culpo. Nick, Olivia, this is the birthday girl, Lauren, her wives, Lucy and Hailee, and her mothers, Camila, Dinah, Ally, and Normani. Ally and Normani are engaged, and Camila and Dinah are dating-"

"Engaged," Dinah intersected.

"What?" Selena screeched, jumping.

Camila showed her the ring and started jumping too. "She proposed a few weeks ago!"

"Oh my god!"

Lauren, who looked confused, just started jumping as well. Lucy pulled Hailee towards Ally, away from the noise. Lucy placed her hands over Hailee's ears.

"Congrats," Nick said, grinning. He shook their hands and turned to Lauren. He crouched down and handed Lauren a small box. "Open it."

"'es? I 'an?"

"Open it," he told her, grinning.

Lauren opened the box to see a bracelet. It had two charms: a cookie and a broccoli. Lauren grinned. "Fow me?"

"It's for you, happy birthday," he told her, grinning.

Lauren hugged him. "'ank 'ou."

-

Barbara Steward watched her granddaughter, her fiancée, and her best friends led their daughter and two friends around. She still remembered when Normani sat her down to tell her that she liked girls, not boys. Normani was so scared, she was crying.

The other girl said she didn't want to disappoint her, but she didn't feel anything for any of the guys. Barbara asked if she felt anything for Ally. Normani started to cry harder. She said yes and that she was so sorry. Normani said that she couldn't control it, and she had tried. Barbara hugged her granddaughter and held her tightly. She said that Normani should never apologize for who she likes, and that she was perfect the way she was. God made her that way, and he only makes perfection.

Barbara was the first person to find out Ally asked Normani to marry her. She got that first phone call, the newly engaged girl happy that she was going to marry the love of her life. Barbara told her that  _she_  was going to make Normani's wedding dress.

When Barbara was told the Normani and her small family took in a girl. Andrea and Derrick told her that the girl looked at Normani and the girls as her mothers. But she was also told about how Lauren's birth parents created a stunt in her mental growth, leaving her in a toddler's mindset. Barbara than got her middle grandchild to help her research about Lauren and her mental stages. She found out about age play and headspaces.

Since finding out out about Lauren, Barbara had wanted to meet the girl,  _Lauren_. So when she found out the girls were having to celebrate Lauren's birthday, she  _had_  to go and meet her.

She stood up when she saw Normani walk up to her. Her granddaughter had a hand on Lauren's back.

"Hello," Barbara said, looking at the girl.

Lauren cocked her head to the side as she stared at Barbara. "'allo. I 'auwen."

"I'm your Grandma Barbara," the woman said, opening her arms. "Can you give me a hug?"

Lauren grinned. "'es!" She walked into the woman's arms and they hugged.

Barbara laughed and kissed her cheek. She turned to the other two girls that were watching.

"And you are?"

"I Lucy, an' this Hailee. Lauwie's wifes." Lucy was standing in front Hailee who was staring at the ground.

"Wives?" Barbara asked, looking up at the other girls.

"Lauren proposed to both of them," Ally said, grinning.

"That's my girl," Barbara said, sitting back.

Normani started to laugh. "Grandma!"

The older woman looked at her. "What? It just runs in the family. When I was your age, I had many people running after me."

Normani just laughed and shook her head. Barbara smiled at looked at Lauren's "wives." Lucy was smiling, but Hailee kept her eyes on the ground.

"Miss Hailee, you can look at me, I'm not going to hurt you."

Hailee bit her lip and shook her head. "No."

Barbara smiled. "It's okay sweetie." She turned her great granddaughter and saw her watching her. "You seem like such a sweet girl. Happy birthday."

"'es, biffday, mine. 'ank 'ou G'amma Bababa," Lauren said, grinning and kissing her cheek. "I love 'ou."

Barbara hugged her. "I already love you too."

-

"Kaki, who is she?" Sofi asked, staring at her big sister. Camila just smiled and looked at her teenage sister. She remembered when Sofi was a child, and she was able to pick her up in her arms. The girl had grown up so much.

"This is Lauren, my daughter, and her friends, Lucy and Hailee."

"Does that mean she's my niece?" Sofi asked, frowning.

Camila nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

"G'amma  'inu, G'anpa Alelan'o!" Lauren said, running to hug both of them.

"Cómo estás nina?" Alejandro asked, pulling away from the hug.

"No sabe español papi," Camila responded, turning to look at her father.

"Porqué no le enseñas?"

"She's still learning English."

"You can learn two languages at the same time," Alejandro said, shaking his head.

"Leave them alone," Sinu interrupted, before turning to Lauren. "Happy birthday sweetie."

"Biffday, mine," Lauren said, grinning.

"Yes it is, are you happy?"

"'es, 'ank 'ou."

Camila grinned, as she leaned back against Dinah. She felt her fiancée wrap her arms around her.

"Hi Lauren, I'm your Aunt Sofi," the girl said, grinning.

"'allo, I 'auwen, dis wi'es, mine. 'uce, 'aiz," Lauren said, grinning. "'ou my aun'?"

Sofi frowned and look at Camila. Just before Camila could answer it, all the other siblings walked the group.

"This is our niece?" Brandon asked, carrying Seth in his arms.

"'allo," Lauren said, waving.

Normani pulled Hailee towards her, who seemed have a small panic attack. Camila could hear her. "Sh, you're okay. No one is going to hurt you. We are almost done, then you and Lucy and Lauren can go hang out. Just a few minutes. Breath."

Hailee nodded, but held onto Normani.

"I'm Brandon, Ally's brother. This here is Seth, Dinah's brother. That's Dinah's sister, Regina. And these are Normani's sisters, Arielle and Ashlee."

"'allo. I's biffday, mine," Lauren said, proudly.

"You are so adorable," Ashlee said, grinning.

"You guys would find the cutest girls," Arielle added, shaking her head.

"She talks funny," The preteen said, frowning up at her sister.

Dinah nodded. They had explained so many times. She told her how Lauren's parents were mean to her and it messed up her head.

"Well, she now has all her aunts and uncles here to protect her," Brandon said, grinning, "right Seth?"

"Yes," the four year old boy said, grinning.

Camila introduced Lucy and Hailee. All their siblings seemed to get along with Lauren and Lucy (Hailee didn't want to interact and stuck to Normani's side).

-

"Where are the girl?" Ally asked, looking at Normani.

The taller girl shrugged and looked around. She smiled when she saw Lauren, Lucy, and Hailee under a tree. Lauren and Lucy were leaning against the tree while Hailee slept on their lap. Ever since Lucy and Hailee bonded, the two girls were getting along, the three girl's friendship had just gotten stronger.

"We are going to cut the cake," Ally said, signaling towards the table.

"Is there enough?"

"We got two. There will, the pieces won't be really big," Ally said, grinning.

Normani nodded and headed toward the three girls. She crouched down in front of the three girls.

"Hey, it's time for cake. Want to wake Hailee up?"

Lauren grinned and nodded. "Fow me?"

"It's for you. Let's go get the cake."

Lauren nodded. Lucy started to rub Hailee's arm, while Lauren whispered. "'aiz, 'ime 'o wa'e up." She gently shook Hailee's shoulder.

"Mm'ore, sleepy," Hailee muttered, curling up into a smaller ball.

"'aiz, biffday," Lauren said, poking Hailee.

"Happy biwthday, Wenny. I sleeping."

"There will be birthday cake sweetie. Don't you want cake?"

"Cake?"

"Yes, do you want cake?"

"Yes." Hailee sat up and rubbed her eyes. She let out a yawn. Lucy and Lauren reached for a hand and led the girl to the table.

Lauren sat in front of a cake with candles. Everyone around her sang Happy Birthday to her. She blew out her candles, and stuffed her face with the cake, having three servings.

"We love you baby," her mothers said, giving her hugs. It was a good birthday.

-

Everything was put away, and clean. Dinah looked over to see Lauren, Lucy and Hailee asleep under a tree. Brandon, Austin and Shawn each picked up a girl and took them to their parents' car.

The car was filled with Lauren's presents. The girl was going to enjoy her new toys, and even that bike she was given.

After saying their goodbyes, the girls got into the car and drove home. Dinah turned to Lauren. The girl was half-asleep.

"Did you have fun?"

"'es," Lauren muttered, "'aves mowe biffdays?"

"You have one every year," Dinah told her.

Lauren grinned. She nodded her head, curling up at her mother's side. "I 'appy I 'aves 'ou."

"We're happy we have you too. We love you."

Lauren's breathing had evened out. She was asleep.

Dinah, and she was sure the other girls as well, couldn't wait to celebrate another birthday with the girl. She deserved many of them.

Dinah wrapped her arms around her daughter and closed her eyes, falling asleep with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages:  
> Sofia: 13  
> Regina: 12  
> Seth: 4  
> Brandon: 34  
> Ashlee: 32  
> Arielle: 33


	51. Pedal

****Lauren stared at the thing. She had seen it on television. She knew what it was. But she was scared. That thing could hurt her, and she didn't want to get hurt.

She looked over at her mothers to see each having their own. Lauren had gotten a bicycle for her birthday, so her mothers each bought their own. But Lauren didn't know how to use one, so they found an empty parking lot and decided to teach her.

Lauren looked at the bike that was leaning against the pole. "No."

"Lauren, you don't want to learn?" Dinah asked, placing her arm around the girl.

Lauren shook her head. "I faww."

"Lolo, we are going to be here to make sure you don't," Camila tried to reassure her.

Lauren wanted to, but at the same time, she was still scared.

"We are here with you," Ally told her, smiling.

Lauren looked at her three mothers, before turning to Normani.

"We'll, uh, we'll ride with you," Normani said, a little nervous.

"Wait," Dinah told them, smirking. She walked over to Normani. "Do you know how to ride a bike? Is that why you've been quiet this whole time?"

" _Fuck_  you," Normani snapped, glaring back.

Lauren pulled her Mama's shirt and pointed to her Mommy.

"I know, Mommy is in trouble when we get home."

Lauren nodded and turned to Normani. "Mommy, i' o'ay, I s'awe 'oo. Bu' we, uh, 'earn 'ogeder?"

Normani stared at Lauren, before nodding. "Together."

Lauren beamed. "I 'wy. I wan'."

The three adults look at each other. "Mila and I got Lauren, you get Normani."

"Why do I get Normani? You're her fiancée," Dinah complained, pouting.

"You're stronger than us, and I'm too short to teach her," Ally responded, smiling. "Please, I'll bake you a broccoli-shaped cookie."

Dinah huffed. "I'll do it if Lauren watches me."

Ally sighed. "What is it with the two of you and broccoli."

"Casper won't forgive me, so I'm going to eat as much as I can until she does."

Camila frowned. "That makes no sense. You never make any sense, but whatever, I love you."

"Whatever, I help Mani, mostly because I want to laugh if she falls."

"No be mean," Lauren said, glaring. She had heard everything, and had been glaring the whole time. She shook her head. "Meanie."

Dinah just laughed.

-

Ally could feel the bike tremble under her. She shook her head. "Lo, you're going to fall if you don't stop shaking."

"S'awy Mama," Lauren said, shaking her head.

"Lolo, just take a deep breath and think happy thoughts," Camila told her. "You are going to be okay. Mama and I are not going to let go, okay?"

"O'ay. I be o'ay?"

"We'll make sure you are."

Ally smiled, seeing Camila try to calm Lauren down. She looked over at Normani and Dinah and shook her head.

"You're not supposed to let go!"

"You don't tell me what to do. I'll let go what  _I_  want to," Dinah said, glaring.

"I'm scared," Normani muttered, glaring at the ground.

"You're twenty-eight."

"I can still be scared!"

Dinah just laughed. Ally decided to switch with Dinah. She looked over at Camila and Lauren, to see Camila teaching Lauren how to steer, break and pedal.

-

Camila grabbed the bike handle and the back of the seat and started to push the bike while Lauren started pedaling.

Lauren was being pushed on the bike, while Camila and Dinah were on either side.

Lauren was pedaling. She giggled, as the bike moved. "I do i'!"

Camila just laughed, as she ran next to the bike. "You're doing it!"

"No 'e' 'o!" Lauren told her mother.

"We're not letting you go baby," Dinah said, from the other side.

Camila looked over and grinned. "Hey Ma."

Dinah rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot."

"Fas'er!"

Camila and Dinah started to run faster. Lauren let go of the handles and raised her hands. Both Dinah and Camila ran until their legs hurt. Camila told Lauren to grip the brake and both girls fell to their knees, trying to get their breath.

Lauren's feet were on each side of her bike, as she stood over it.

Camila and Dinah, who were on the floor, looked to see Normani riding her bike with Ally holding onto it.

"Don't let go! Please don't let go!"

"I won't let go," Ally said, laughing.

Lauren clapped and jumped. The bike, no longer being held up, falling over to the side, taking Lauren down with it. Lauren crashed to the ground. She started sobbing, holding her elbow that hit the ground first.

Camila and Dinah shot up. They took the bike off of her. Dinah pulled the girl onto her lap. Normani pedals faster, leaving Ally behind. She used her shoes the break, before jumping off the bike and crouching down next to Lauren. Ally fell to her knees after she ran.

"Lauren, are you okay?" Normani asked, grabbing the girl's elbow. It was bloody.

"No! Ow!" Lauren cried, shaking her head.

Dinah pulled her closer. She turned to Camila. "Go get the first aid in the car."

Camila nodded. She turned to run to the car, but ended up tripping on Lauren's bike. She slammed on the floor.

Dinah sighed and turned to Ally. "Can you get the first aid? For both Lo and that idiot?"

Ally laughed and went to get it. Camila pushed herself and limped to the girls, her knees bloody.

She whimpered as she sat on the ground.

"'ou o'ay Mama?" Lauren asked, still crying.

Camila smiled. "I'm okay. But did you see Mommy? She rode that bike all by herself."

"Mommy did i'," Lauren whispered, smiling. "Mommy, 'ou 'ood."

Normani laughed. "I guess I did. I got over my fear."

"Wait, hold on, you were scared of bikes?"

Normani blushed as she looked away. "I was a kid, when I saw Arielle fall off her bike and broke her arm. I was traumatized. But I'm over it now. I got over my fear." She turned to Lauren. "I hope this fall doesn't stop you from learning. When you fall, you have to get back up, okay? Promise? Don't let anything keep you down?"

Lauren nodded, using her uninjured arm to wipe her eyes. "I bwave."

Ally walked back to the group. She opened the box and turned to Camila, while Normani went to Lauren.

Camila turned to Dinah. "Hold me too?"

Dinah sighed, and pulled Camila to her. Normani and Ally cleaned the cuts, having the injured girls to flinch. They covered the injuries and had the girls stand up.

"Do you want to go home?" Normani asked Lauren.

The girl looked at the bike before turning to Normani. "I 'wy 'gain."

Camila smiled. She was so proud of the girl.


	52. High Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Underage Drug (Weed) Use

 

Ally glared at Dinah and Camila. "Why did Lauren have a bag of weed?" Ally stared at Lauren. " _Is she high?!_ "

-

_A Few Hours Earlier_

"Do we have to go?" Camila whined, looking at her fiancée. She had been getting ready for the party Dinah had been invited to. Ally was at work with Normani, dealing with some things and had planned on meeting with them at the party.

"Because these are the people I work with and I promised we would go," Dinah said.

"Am I over dressed?" Camila asked, turning to Dinah.

The taller girl shook her head. "You look perfect." She then walked towards Camila. "You are perfect." She pressed her lips against Camila's. "I love you."

"I love you too," Camila muttered, deepening the kiss.

Dinah didn't know how long they were kissing, but it felt like a long time. She loved being with Camila. She could get lost with her.

"We have to go," Camila said, pulling away, "is Lauren dressed?"

"Was I supposed to dress her or you?"

Camila sighed. "Didn't you tell me your mom dropped you on your head?"

"Yeah, when I was two, hey!"

-

Camila looked around, while Dinah parked the car. "What kind of party is it?"

"I think it was a kickback? I didn't ask. I just said we would be here."

Camila nodded. She looked through the mirror to see Lauren staring out the window, muttering words to herself. "'ween, twees, f'owers, 'wass." Camila shook her head at the girl. She was so innocent, it hurt at times.

Dinah turned the car off. "Just tell me if you aren't having fun anymore. We'll leave and tell Ally and Mani the new plans, deal?"

Camila nodded, falling even more in love with Dinah. Dinah always made sure she was comfortable, and would always do anything so she was if she wasn't.

Camila always tried to do the same, but Dinah was just better at that.

"Let's go check this place out," Dinah said, getting out of the car. Camila got out and opened Lauren's door.

The girls had started putting the child-lock on the back doors. Lauren opened it once while they were driving and they had never gotten such a heart attack.

Lauren grinned when she saw her Mami. Camila unbuckled her. (Lauren started to unbuckle her seatbelt too. Her mothers told her if she didn't again without permission, she would be in trouble. Luckily, she wasn't unbuckled the day she opened her door. She would have been in so much trouble.)

Camila helped Lauren out the car and held her hand as they walked to the house.

Dinah was already greeting people, introducing Lauren to them. The young girl (who was asleep when they realized she wasn't ready) just smiled. She leaned against Camila.

They all went to sit down somewhere. Some of Dinah's coworkers sat with them and they all started to talk. Lauren placed her head on the table as stared drawing patterns on the table. Camila just gave her a small pat, before getting into the conversation.

-

Lauren sat on the steps as she watched the people drive by. Her mothers had been boring, so she had migrated to the front. Little People ran around the house. Lauren was too tired to join them. She just rested her chin on her knees and watched them touch each other and run away, screaming "Tag you're it," whatever that meant.

Someone moved to sit next to her. "Do you mind?"

Lauren looked over to see a guy holding something in his hands. She shook her head. She watched him burn the end of the paper he had and place it in his mouth. She heard him inhale. He took it out and exhaled, smoke coming out of his mouth.

It looked so cool to Lauren. He looked over and smiled at Lauren. "Want some?"

She nodded. She wanted to blow smoke, like a dragon. Maybe, it can help make Princesses and Knights better.

"Do you know how?"

Lauren shook her head.

"Okay, I'm going to put it in your mouth. Inhale, it'll feel weird. When I say blow, blow it out, okay?"

"'es," Lauren said, staring at it. The man laughed. He held the paper to her mouth. She opened it and closed her mouth around it. Inhaling, she wrinkled her nose feeling the smoke (was it smoke?) enter her mouth. He pulled it out, but Lauren kept her mouth closed.

"Blow."

Lauren blew the smoke out, cough. She giggled, as she turned to the man. "'gain?"

He laughed, putting it in his mouth, before helped Lauren take it again.

-

Normani parked the car and looked at the house. "This is the place?"

Ally nodded. "Yeah. The girls are in there somewhere."

Normani nodded. She got out of the car and reached for Ally's hand. They walked towards the backyard of the house, passing a guy smoking weed in the front stairs.

They found Dinah and Camila. Dinah was drinking a beer, while Camila drank a soda.

"Hey," Ally said, grinning.

Dinah's coworkers stood up, greeting them.

Dinah and Camila grinned.

"Where is Lauren?" Normani asked, looking around.

Dinah and Camila both shot up. "She was with us," Camila said, looking around.

Ally narrowed her eyes. "You lost Lauren?"

"No," Dinah told her, "we just misplaced her."

"How do you misplace a teenager?!"

Normani pulled Ally back. "How about we search for her rather than argue?"

The other three nodded. Dinah's coworkers said they'd keep an eye on for Lauren.

They found Lauren hiding under the refreshments table. Her eyes were wide, as she looked around.

"'e's ou' dewe," Lauren whispered, curling up.

"Who Lo?"

"'im."

Normani crawled under and pulled Lauren out from under the table.

Lauren started to fidget, playing with a sandwich bag in her hands.

"What's that?" Dinah asked, looking at it.

Ally glared at Dinah and Camila. "Why did Lauren have a bag of weed?" Ally stared at Lauren. " _Is she high?!_ "

"No?"

-

Lauren was sitting on ground, half eaten cookies around her. Both Dinah and Camila were sitting on the couch, being reprimanded by Ally. Normani was sitting with Lauren, making sure she was okay.

"You're supposed to watch her! If you wanted to go alone, you should have told us, Normani could have stayed with her. We could have taken her! You are so irresponsible! What is Lauren had a bad reaction from weed? What if she someone took her?"

"We're sorry," Dinah whispered. Camila let out a small sob.

Ally sighed. "Just don't let this happen again."

Lauren giggled from her spot on the ground. "'ookie." She shoved it into her mouth. "Mowe 'ookies?"

"They are in your hand Lo."

Lauren looked down, gasping. "'ook, 'ookies."

Normani let out a small laugh. "How about we stop eating cookies and sleep?"

"S'eep?"

Ally crouched down in front of Lauren. "Promise me you'll never take anything from anyone you don't know?"

"Why?"

"Because you can't trust them."

"Why?"

"You don't know them."

"Why?"

Ally sighed. "Because they could hurt you."

"Why?"

"Lolo, if they hurt you, we'll be sad. You don't want us sad, right?"

Lauren frowned, looking at Camila. "'ou sad?"

Camila wiped her tears. "Just promise, okay?"

"No s'an'ers. No 'wus'," Lauren said, nodding her head. She gasped, seeing a cookie on her lap. "'ook, 'ookie." She shoved it into her mouth and grinned.

"Why don't we try this when she's  _not_ high?"

Ally sighed, before nodding. "Let's go to bed, okay?"

"'ookies no wan 'way?"

"The cookies will be here when you wake up, okay?"

"O'ay. I, uh, I fee'uh, 'afe 'ewe," Lauren said, raising her hands so Normani would pick her up and take her to her room.

Ally sighed, watching Normani carry the girl away. She turned to Dinah and Camila who looked sad.

"I'm not mad. Just, don't let that happen again, okay?"

Both girls nodded.

"Give me a hug." Dinah and Camila ran into Ally's arms. "I love you idiots."


	53. Manage

 

It had been two days since Lauren's run-in with weed, and Lauren had wanted to blow smoke like a dragon. The girls had told her that it was bad, and that she shouldn't take things from strangers.

Lauren agreed. And the girls hoped they wouldn't have to deal with a high Lauren again. (They ended up having to buy more cookies. Lauren went through them like a tornado.)

Camila had received a call, saying it was time to meet her manager. And that was where she was at the moment.

Simon stared at the group of girls. There was a smirk on face. "I see you brought the whole family."

Camila nodded. "This person is going to be a big part of our lives. The girls need to meet who they are."

"Well, I reserved a table at my favorite restaurant. I want you all to go and get to know each other. I trust her with your career. I have been managing you, but it's time for you to have someone else."

"Thank you," Camila said, grinning.

Simon pressed a button on his phone. "Bring her in."

It was a few seconds when the door opened. They watched as a long haired brunette with a bunny-eared headband came in.

Simon stood up.

"Camila, girls, meet Ariana Grande, your manager if you choose to have her. Ariana, meet your potential client, Camila Cabello, her fiancée, Dinah Jane, her cousin, Ally Hernandez, her best friend, Normani Kordei, and all their daughter, Lauren  _Jauregui_? That's still her last name?"

"We'd fight if we try to give her one of our last names," Ally said, nodding her head, "we usually just use Lauren Michelle."

"Well, she's my Peanut. Just don't fall for her charm, I hear she has two wives and is able to have anyone wrapped around her finger."

Ariana laughed and nodded. She looked over at Lauren, who was playing with Simon's stuffed octopus.

"You girls should head to the restaurant. They know you are going, just use my name," Simon said, smiling at them.

-

"So how did you get into managing?" Dinah asked, closing her menu.

Ariana looked at her and smiled. "I wanted to be a singer as a child. I went to school to get a degree on it, so I could know more and not get screwed over. But I found out I enjoyed managing and decided to stick to it. I mean, I love singing, but this felt safer, like it was more me, you know?"

Normani nodded. "Yeah. I loved singing, but dancing was where I belonged."

"Why do you think you should manage Camila?" Dinah questioned, turning back to Ariana.

The older woman could feel the protectiveness from the girl. She knew Dinah was just asking questions to make sure Camila was in safe hands. She could feel the love in their relationships.

"She'd be my priority. I know she means a lot to you, all of you, and you want the best for her, and as my client, she'd mean a lot to me as well. She has people who love her. And my answer seems vague and a go to answer, but it's the truth. I take my job serious. I only want her to succeed. And not because of the money, but because I can see how much she loves singing. I have been around. I have watched Camila sing in the booth. I can see she loves what she does. And I know that love, because it's the same one I have. And I'd want to manager her how someone would me."

Sometime during her little speech, she had looked at the table. When she was done, she looked up to see she was being stared at by the four women (Lauren was looking through the menu, not caring about anything).

"May I take your order?" the waiter asked, standing at the table. All the girls ordered what they wanted (well, Ally ordered for Lauren, who just pointed to what she wanted).

Once he was gone, all the attention went back to Ariana.

"I approve," Dinah said, nodding her head. Normani and Ally agreed.

Camila hadn't said anything, and Ariana didn't know what that meant. It made her nervous.

"Lo, do you like Ariana?"

"Who?" Lauren asked, looking up from Dinah's phone. (Lauren knew the password, it was the combined name of her two favorite girls,  _Camren.)_

Lauren looked over at Ariana. The older girl could see the green eyes inspecting her.

"Bun?"

"What?"

Lauren patted her own head. "Bun, 'abbi'."

"Bunnies are my favorite animals. Cats too."

Lauren nodded. "Me 'oo." She placed the phone on the table. "Wha' do?"

Ariana looked at the face of the women, but they looked amused.

"Well, I'm going to manage your mother. I will be helping her get jobs where she can sing and talk in radios."

Lauren nodded. "I se'een. I 'mawt."

"I can see that. You are at the top of your class aren't you?" Ariana hadn't understood what Lauren said in the beginning, but she didn't want to hurt her feelings.

The girl looked happy. "I 'ike 'ou. I 'auwen."

"My name is Ariana. But you can call me Ari."

"Awi," the girl then gasped and looked at Ally. "Mama, 'ame name. Awi, Awwy."

"No sweet, I'm Ally, she's Ari, different."

The girl looked disappointed. "Oh. No 'ool. 'ood?"

"It'll arrive soon, just play on Dinah's phone, okay?" Ally said, handing Lauren the said phone.

Ariana looked over to see Camila staring at her. She had never felt a need to succeed in life before. She just felt like she had to get Camila as a client.

-

Dinah and Ally had taken Lauren to get ice cream in the store next door, leaving Camila and Normani with Ariana.

"You know Lauren isn't like any other seventeen year old right?" Camila asked, her voice hard and stern.

Ariana nodded. "I noticed, but she's sweet. I like how she interrogated me."

Normani laughed. "I can't believe she did that. She was so serious."

"Lauren means the world to me. And if you can't deal with her, we can't work together."

Ariana nodded. "I understand. Family comes first. I'm not used to someone like Lauren, I'll be honest, but I won't discriminate. She's your daughter, and that means a lot, I know that. I'll make it my job to protect her as much as possible. She seems like a gem."

"She got to you too, didn't she?" Normani said, shaking her head.

"What?"

"You want to be around her, don't you?"

"I wouldn't mind hanging out with you guys and Lauren."

Normani laughed again, and Camila cracked a smile.

"I'll do anything in my power that your singing doesn't affect your relationship with Lauren and Normani and the others. I want you to succeed, so little girls can look up to you and Lauren could be proud."

Camila nodded. "Well, hope you enjoy our company, because you'll be around us a lot."

Ariana grinned. "I got the job?"

Camila smiled. "I want you to be my manager."

Ariana laughed and hugged both Camila and Normani. "Thank you so much."

They walked outside and waited for the other girls. Lauren was licking her ice cream wen they walked up to them.

"Everything okay?" Dinah asked, smiling. She handed Normani an ice cream. Ally gave Ariana another one.

"How about mine?" Camila asked, frowning.

"Lauren ate it."

"We 'awe?" Lauren asked, showing Camila her ice cream.

The older girl nodded and bit some of the ice cream. She looked at Dinah. "Meet my manager."

Lauren looked at Ariana. She licked her ice cream and nodded. "'ood."

 


	54. Red Llama

 

Camila laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She was scared. She was scared she was going to get caught up in her music that she's going to miss things. She was scared she was going to fail. She was scared.

Her family was there before her big break. They stuck by her side, and she never wanted to forget that. She was scared she would.

She turned to look at Dinah. The younger girl was asleep, breathing evenly. Her chest rose and fell. Camila counter the seconds it took for Dinah to breath in air and how long it took her to exhale.

Camila was scared to lose everything. She was always going to be scared.

She slowly slid off the bed, not wanting to wake Dinah up. She tiptoed out the room and closed the door behind her. She walked down the hall, wanting to get some water, maybe watch some television. Anything to get the mean thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to worry. She didn't want to be scared.

She need to be distractive. She felt like she needed another session with her therapist. That made her sad, she had been doing good, but out of no where, she just started to panic.

-

_Lauren rocked herself. She can hear screaming from the other side of the door. She didn't know what was being said, but she could hear it. The door ripped opened._

Lauren screamed as she sat up. She looked around, but saw nothing. She started to cry. She curled up in her bed, biting hard on her pacifier. She hugged Nala tightly against her chest.

Her door started to open. She scooted further away from the door.

The door was fully opened. "Lolo?"

"Mami?" Lauren called out around her pacifier.

"Oh baby," she hard Camila say, walking towards the bed.

"Ba' dweam," Lauren cried, hugging the lion tighter.

Camila sat on the bed and pulled Lauren onto her lap. She just rocked the girl, humming into her ear. She rocked until Lauren stopped crying.

She patted Lauren's pull-up (she had moved from diaper to pull-up. Soon, they would be potty training the girl).

"Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Lauren nodded her head. Camila quickly changed Lauren and tucked her in.

"Do you want me to read a story to you?"

Lauren nodded. She pointed to the book on the ground. Camila grabbed it and looked at the title.

"Llama Llama Red Pyjama." Camila laughed, shaking her head.

"'ing?"

"You want me to sing this?" Camila asked, frowning.

Lauren nodded her head. "'es p'ease."

Camila looked down at the book. She took a deep breath, opened it and started to sing the book.

_Llama llama_   
_Llama llama red pyjama_   
_Is alone without his mama_   
_Baby llama wants a drink_   
_But mama's at the kitchen sink (oh no)_

Lauren giggled, as she curled up closer to Camila and looked at the pictures.

_Llama llama red pyjama_   
_Calls down to him llama llama mama_   
_Baby llama hums a tune_   
_Mama says she'll be up soon_

Camila pulled Lauren, and wrapped her arm around the girl. She quickly placed her arm around the girl.

_Llama llama red pyjama waiting_   
_Waiting his for mama yeah_   
_Yes he's waiting_   
_Mama isn't coming oh no no no_   
_That's when baby llama yeah he starts to fret_   
_Baby you say nothing yeah_   
_Llama llama red pyjama_

_Llama Llama_   
_Baby llama starts to call out "Mama Mama Mama"_   
_Mama mama mama red pyjama_   
_Mama llama_   
_Llama llama llama red pyjama_   
_Llama llama red pyjama_   
_Llama Llama_   
_Yeah llama_

Lauren heard Camila whisper a goodnight before falling asleep.

-

Camila looked at the sleeping girl in her arms. She didn't want to let go. She just pulled her closer without waking her up. She got herself comfortable and fell asleep.

-

Dinah woke up to a lonely bed. She groaned as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes, stretching. She walked out of the room and went to check on Lauren, which was what she did if the girl wasn't already awake.

She quietly and slowly opened the door to see Camila in the bed with Lauren. She closed the door.

Normani and Ally were in the kitchen when she got there. Dinah grinned at them.

"I take it you saw Lauren's room?"

"They are just so cute together," Dinah said, grinning. She sat down at the table. She grabbed the box of cereal and poured some for herself, Camila and Lauren. She then poured milk in her own bowl and Camila's. (Lauren didn't really like milk in her cereal. She only ate Lucky Charms with milk because she liked chasing the marshmallows around.)

"Look at the sleepyheads," Ally said, grinning. Dinah looked over to see Camila and Lauren walking towards them.

"We heard some singing from Lo's room," Normani commenting, putting spoons in the bowls. Lauren dug in, scooping some onto the spoon and chewing it.

"I couldn't sleep. And Lolo had a nightmare, so I sang her to sleep."

"We've never heard that song."

Camila blushed. "It was a book. Lauren wanted me to sing it."

"Mami 'ing 'ood," Lauren said, her mouth full of food.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Dinah asked, frowning. While the whole singing with Lauren was cute, she was worried about her fiancée.

Camila shrugged. "I just started thinking about not being good enough to make it in the music business. And I was worried I would miss things with you guys. And then it just got too much and I had to get out of the room."

"Do you want another session with your therapist? I know it helped last time," Dinah whispered, frowning.

"Please?"

Dinah kissed Camila's temple. "Of course."

-

All five girls were coloring. They were teaching Lauren about shades and value. She knew to color inside the lines. They had seen how much Lauren loved art, and had been trying to help her improve in that. They had gotten a small table, and at least three times a week, all of them would sit around that table and color and draw and write. They'd just be creative.

Halfway, Lauren ran to her bedroom. She came back with a book pressed against her chest. She pulled Camila and made her sit down. She placed the book on Camila's lap and sat down next to her. "'ing? 'gain?"

Camila grinned and nodded her head. "Get here doofus."

Lauren clapped her hands and leaned against Camila. She opened the book and looked at Camila, expectingly.

Camila looked at the other three girls and smiled shyly. She took a deep breath and started to sing.

_Llama llama_   
_Llama llama red pyjama_   
_Is alone without his mama_   
_Baby llama wants a drink_   
_But mama's at the kitchen sink (oh no)_

Lauren turned the page, and looked at her Mami. Normani watched as Lauren placed a kiss on Camila's cheek.

Camila finished the song and closed the book. Lauren stared at the book, before opening it again. "'gain? P'ease?"

Camila let out a laugh. Dinah took out her phone and recorded Camila sing with Lauren hanging on to every word.

Lauren pouted when Camila finished the song. "No, 'gain. No s'awp."

Camila hugged Lauren, "I love you."

"I-I love if, if 'ing 'gain," Lauren said, widening her eyes and staring at Camila.

"Last time, okay?"

"'es, p'ease."

Camila sang the song again, grinning when Lauren fell asleep. She looked at the other girls.

"I want to record this for Lauren," Camila said, nodding her head.

"I think that's a great idea."

 


	55. Two Types of High

 

Dinah closed her eyes. She held Camila close. She rocked them. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes. She felt Camila rub her arm, trying to calm her down.

"Shh," Camila whispered, pushing herself closer to Dinah.

"I'm scared," Dinah whispered, shaking her head.

"We have to be quiet," Ally whispered from the other side of the closet.

"The demon's child is out there. She'll find us if you guys aren't quiet."

Dinah took a deep breathe and tightened her hold around Camila. She just prayed.

-

_A Few Hours Earlier_

Lauren looked at the twenty dollars in her hand. She looked at her mothers.

"Ice cream or candy shop?" Ally asked, staring at her.

"'es."

"Pick one."

"'es"

"Lauren," Ally said, giving the girl a look.

Lauren sighed, before pointing to the candy store. The family walked into it. Lauren, having had twenty dollars from her birthday, said she wanted to pay. She looked around and store, before finding pixie sticks. She wanted to try it, so she got a two handfuls and walked the cashier.

"Is this all you want?" the cashier asked.

Lauren nodded. The cashier knew her, and had seen her walk into the store multiple times. He'd sneak a few extra candy whenever she was there.

"Are you paying by yourself?" he asked, grinning.

"'es."

The boy nodded. "My sister love these," he said, holding up the pixie sticks.

"'eally?"

The boy nodded. "I always buy some for her after my shifts. She's thirteen."

Lauren grinned. She placed the twenty dollars on the table. He took them, charged it and gave her the change. He then placed pixie sticks in a bag and gave it to her.

Lauren took it and looked inside, grinning. She looked up at the boy and nodded. "'ank 'ou," she started, before frowning, realizing she didn't know his name.

The boy laughed. "Chris."

Lauren grinned again. "'ank 'ou 'wis. I 'auwen."

Lauren turned and walked away, hearing a "See you later Lauren."

-

Ally didn't know what candies Lauren had bought. The girl was secretive, not telling them anything. She stuck the candy down her pants to keep it from being taken from her mothers (Ally was happy it was down her pants, not her pull-up).

Ally walked into Lauren's bedroom (the girl had been left there for her nap) and found multiple pixie sticks scattered around the ground. She froze, seeing Lauren tremble in place.

Ally opened her mouth, but Lauren just ran out of the room. Ally turned and chased after her.

She found Lauren jumping on the couch. "We p'ay! 'ash me!" Lauren jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen.

Normani looked at Ally, her eyes wide.

"She ate  _all_  her candy," Ally said, running her hand through her hair.

Normani shot up. "And she's in the kitchen? There is more sugar in there!"

Both girl ran to the kitchen to find cookies all over the ground. Lauren was no where to be found.

"Lauren?"

Silence.

"Monster, get here, now!"

" _No!_ "

The girls looked around, not seeing her anywhere.

"Lauren, where are you?"

Giggles.

Ally looked up and saw Lauren sitting on the refrigerator. She gasped. "Lauren!"

Giggles. "'allo!"

"Lauren, get down from there!"

"No!"

-

Normani sighed, as she looked around the room. Normani had started to give Lauren a bath, but when Normani turned to get a towel, the girl got out of the tub and ran away. Now, Normani was looking for the naked girl.

"Lauren, you're going to get a cold!" Normani followed the wet footprints on the ground. She saw them go under the bed. She crouched down. "Lo, I know you're down there."

Empty.

Normani frowned. She heard giggles. She turned to see Lauren run out of the room.

Normani pressed her forehead to the ground and sighed. She pushed herself up and walked out of the room. All the doors were opened. Footsteps going in and out of the room.

Normani checked each and every room. Lauren wasn't in any of them. Normani sighed and went back to the bathroom. She was just going to clean up there before continuing to search for Lauren.

Normani walked into the bathroom to find Lauren back in the bathtub. The girl smiled up at Normani.

"'allo Mommy."

Normani let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. Normani knew she was not going to make it through the night.

-

Camila was tackled from behind. She felt Lauren wrap her legs around the older girl's waist and her arms around Camila's neck.

"'awwy me!" Lauren squealed into her ear. Camila flinched.

"Don't scream, please."

"P'ease?"

Camila sighed and walked towards the refrigerator.

"Fas'er!"

Camila sighed, and shook her head. "I can't. Do you want milk? Maybe we can watch a movie?"

Lauren shook her head. She unhook her legs so she could touch the ground. She ran away. Camila sighed, and grabbed the bottle of water. She walked to the kitchen to find Ally, Normani and Dinah lying down on the couches. They looked exhausted.

Lauren was running around the couches, giggling like a maniac.

Camila bit her lip. "Lolo, let's watch a movie."

"No!" Lauren just ran and ran and ran. Camila was getting dizzy, just watching her.

Camila shook her head and started to walk to the couch, when Lauren crashed into her. Both girls fell to the ground.

Lauren stared at Camila. The older girl quickly stood up to check on Lauren, when Lauren stood up and ran to the bedrooms.

-

Dinah closed her eyes. She held Camila close. She rocked them. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes. She felt Camila rub her arm, trying to calm her down.

"Shh," Camila whispered, pushing herself closer to Dinah.

"I'm scared," Dinah whispered, shaking her head.

Lauren had driven them up to the wall. The girl was a nightmare when she was high off sugar. Worse than weed. Dinah would take High!Lauren over SugarHigh!Lauren any day.

"We have to be quiet," Ally whispered from the other side of the closet.

"The demon's child is out there. She'll find us if you guys aren't quiet."

Dinah took a deep breathe and tightened her hold around Camila. She just prayed.

Dinah heard Lauren giggle outside the door. She held her breath. The giggled passed by. Dinah let out a breath, leaning back against the wall.

"How long can she last? It's been  _hours_ ," Dinah whined, shaking her head.

"She's like the energize rabbit. She just keeps going and going and going and going and going and going." Normani took a deep breath.

"Please stop, I'm going to cry," Camila whispered, shaking her head.

Dinah closed her eyes. She prayed for her safety.

-

Dinah opened her eyes, she looked around the small closet to see the others asleep as well. She closed her eyes and listened, but heard nothing.

Dinah gently shook Camila, but the girl let out a whine. "Please no."

"Mila, it's quiet.  _Too_  quiet," Dinah whispered, sitting up.

Dinah and Camila both shook Ally and Normani awake. Slowly, the four women walked out of the room. The room (Caminah's) was a mess. It was like a tornado passed through, clothes everywhere.

As a unit, the four walked out and headed to the living, which also was a disaster.

"Where do you think she is?" Normani asked, looking around.

Dinah shrugged and picked up the pillow on the ground.

Ally and Camila walked into the kitchen to look at the damage. They called for Dinah and Normani. The taller girls walked into the kitchen.

Dinah covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

Lauren was asleep. She was curled up with Nala under the dinner table. A half eaten cookie sticking out of her mouth.

The other girls moved the chairs out of the way and let Dinah pick her up. She took Lauren to the couch and placed her on it. She covered the girl.

"Lauren is never getting candy again."

"I'm gonna have nightmares."

 


	56. Light Up the Sky

****Lauren flinched when a firework popped. Lucy reached over and grabbed her hand. "Lauwie, it 'kay."

Hailee nodded next to her. She huddled up on Lauren's other side. "We pwotect you. We not let you hurt."

"Boom. 'ive ou'si'e."

Ally looked at Camila. They knew what she was talking about. The storm that had hit Miami the day before they found Lauren.

The girl who had just bread, wet, dissolved bread, to eat and living under cardboard.

The girl had grown up so much, from the scared little girl in the alley to their Lauren. Ally always wondered why Lauren attached to them so quickly. But she knew what it was. Lauren was a friendly person, it was just who she was. And Camila, she gave her a cookie. She spoke to her, she earned her trust very quickly. Camila and Ally were the first people to be nice to Lauren in a long time, and Lauren latched to that, it seemed.

Ally looked over to see her father cooking patties. They had decided to have another barbecue, but it was just family, Lauren's wives and their families (Keana was able to get time work and hang out with them).

"'andy?" Lauren asked, looking at Ally.

The older woman shook her head. "Nope." She turned and walked away.

Anna laughed. "You've dealt with a sugar high Lauren?"

"Have you? With Hailee?"

Anna laughed even harder. "We learned our lesson. That girl may seem like an angel, but she can be something else. Britt and I ended up locked outside our apartment."

Ally laughed. "We ended up hiding in Dinah and Camila's closet. Lauren will never touch candy again."

-

Lauren lined up her fries from smallest to biggest.

"What are you doing?" Dinah asked, frowning.

"Smaww 'o bi', die in o'er," Lauren said, smiling up at Dinah.

The taller girl frowned. She turned to Camila. "Did she just say she's going to kill the fries from smallest to biggest? And she thinks she can give me shit about broccoli?"

"Dinah, I love you. And I can't wait to marry you, but if you bring up broccoli one more time, I'll personally find one and shove it up your-"

"Mila!" Sinu scolded, shaking her head, "there are children here."

Camila huffed. "I mean it though."

Dinah rolled her eyes and turned to Lauren, frowned. "Murderer."

Lauren gasped. "G'amma Bababa, Ma say bad wo'd!"

Barbara turned to Dinah, a wooden spoon in her hand.

Normani stood up. "Grandma, don't."

Andrea shook her head. "Don't tell her what to do sweetie. She'll get you too."

Normani looked at Dinah. "I'm sorry."

Lauren turned Hailee, so the girl wasn't looking. Lucy grabbed the hamburger and brought it up to the girl's mouth.

Dinah winced when she felt a smack. "Ow! Fuck!"

Lauren pointed. "G'amma, 'gain p'ease!"

"Keep it up Dinah Jane," Barbara said, raising her hand.

Dinah winced again. She turned to glare at her daughter. "Little shit."

"G'amma Bababa!"

-

Sofi sat down next to Lauren. The older girl was watching the people around the park.

"Hi."

Lauren looked over and smiled. "'allo."

"I'm your aunt."

Lauren nodded her head. "Sofi."

The thirteen year old nodded. She bit her lip, as she stared at her hands. She didn't know what to say. Her parents explained when was happening in Lauren's head. The girl didn't want to make Lauren feel bad. She didn't want to say something and make her seem,  _stupid_.

"Are you happy?" Sofi asked, looking at the girl.

Lauren nodded. "'es. I-I 'aves 'ood 'amily."

"That's good," Sofi said, awkwardly.

"Um, 'ou 'appy?"

Sofi grinned. "Yes. I started middle school. I've made new friends. But I miss Kaki."

"O'ay. Uh, 'a'i?"

"Oh, that's what I call Camila. I couldn't say Karla when I was little, so I called her Kaki."

Lauren nodded. "I 'aww 'amz, now Mami. I love Mami."

Sofi grinned. "I love her too. I love you. You're my first niece. I just wish I were older."

"'es."

"I wish you were a baby, so I could carry you around. That would be adorable. And I could feed you, and you'd by my baby niece. That would be amazing."

"'es."

Sofi turned to see a confused look on the girl's face. "I like you."

"Me 'oo."

Sofi looked out at the people, sitting in silence with Lauren.

-

"Ah," Lauren said, opening her mouth. Hailee copied her, only to close it when the girl fed her a fry. Lauren giggled, before turning to Lucy. "Ah." She fed Lucy a fry and giggled.

"Do you ever wonder about her?" Derrick asked, sitting down with the mothers.

"What do you mean?" Ally asked, her future father-in-law.

Derrick shrugged. "I mean, her life before you found her. Do you know her triggers? What scared her?"

Normani shook her head. "She hasn't shown any fear except normal ones, like monsters and nightmares. The only thing we know is lightning and these fireworks, which she seems to be okay with now."

"Maybe you should try to find out more about her. Her actual old home life, you know?" Gordon added, nodding his head.

Camila looked up at her future father-in-law. "We want to know, but we're scared. We don't know what we are going to find out. We've heard stories of Hailee's home life, and that scared us."

"We don't want open up a can of worms if we don't have to," Ally added, nodding her head.

Camila let out a small laugh. "Can of worms."

Dinah rolled her eyes. "Lauren is okay the way she is."

Milika looked at her daughter. "Have her birth parents tried to contact her?"

"Not that we know of. Can they?"

"They can ask. You are Lauren's foster parents. You might have a right to that. But in the end, it's Lauren's choice," Patricia told them.

"Have Hailee's parents tried to reach out?" Alejandro asked Anna and Brittany.

Brittany nodded. "They've wanted to talk to her. It goes through us, since we adopted her. But we spoke to her, told her if she ever wanted to talk to them, she could tell us."

"Has she brought it up?" Jerry asked, frowning.

Brittany shook her head. "The thought of her birth parents scare her. She can't think of them without freaking out."

"But Lauren might be different," Shawn said, joining in the conversation. "She's different from Hailee. They may have gone through similar things, but they both came out different."

"It think you should sit down with Lauren and talk to her in a way she would understand. Let her know she has a choice."

"We're scared," Camila whispered. "We're scared of how it's going to affect her."

Barbara shook her head. "She's strong. We're not saying to have her meet them. But tell her she has the choice if she wants to. She's smarter than you are giving her credit for. She's could be ready, it's been months."

The girls turned to look at Lauren, who was laughing with Hailee, Lucy and her cousins.

Normani sighed. "We'll see."

-

Hailee, Lucy and Lauren sat on the ground. They were all wrapped with blankets, as they stared at the fireworks lighting up the sky.

"P'etty," Lauren whispered, in awe, staring at the different colors in the sky.

Lucy and Hailee were leaned on both sides of Lauren. The younger girl giggled when she saw a firework explode.

She looked up at her mothers. Everyone (who was able to) curled up with their partners, staring up at the fireworks. She looked at Lucy, then at Hailee.

She took a deep breath. "I-I love  _y-y_ ou."

Both Hailee and Lucy gasped. They sat up and looked at Lauren, grins on their faces. Both leaned forward and kissed Lauren's cheeks, touching the corners of her lips.

"We pwoud," Lucy whispered.

"Yes, you smawt," Hailee continued, giving the girl another kiss on the cheek. She leaned over and kissed Lucy's cheek, a blush on her face.

Lauren smiled and laid back down. She stared up at the sky, happy to be with her family. They made her feel special, something she didn't feel the first many years of her life.

She just hoped it stayed like that.

 


	57. Mama's Day

 

She was twenty-nine. She was nervous. She knew that people said there could be complications when women had children in there thirties, and Ally was twenty-nine, one year before her thirties.

She wanted a biological child, two, one hers and one Normani's. And the child would be different from Lauren. They wouldn't have to shared their child with Dinah or Camila.

And Lauren could have a brother or sister. Ally hoped the having a younger brother or sister could help Lauren in the long run.

She grinned, green eyes staring down at her. "Hello."

"'allo Mama, 'appy biffday."

"Thank you Baby," Ally said hugging the girl.

Lauren grinned. "We, we 'ake? Y-you an' Mami an' Mommy an' Ma an' me?"

"No Hailee or Lucy?"

Lauren shook her head. "You ou's 'oday," Lauren told her.

Ally kissed Lauren's cheek. "Today, I'm yours."

Lauren jumped off the bed. "'uwwy, we wai'!"

Ally laughed and got off the bed. It was going to be a good birthday.

-

"So, when are you going to make me my special cookies?" Dinah asked, from the table.

"I promised to make them if you helped Mani learn to ride a bike," Ally told her, as she watched Laure stir the mix.

"I taught her!"

Ally glared at the other girl. "You just made fun of her."

"Ba' Ma," Lauren said, shaking her head.

Dinah glared at Lauren. "This is all your fault."

Lauren stared back. "An'?"

Dinah let out a gasp. "What happened to my sweet innocent girl?"

"You."

Ally started to laugh. She just laughed and laughed. She laughed until she couldn't breath. "This girl is your daughter."

Dinah glared at Lauren, shaking her head. "I don't like this."

Camila pulled Dinah onto her lap. "You should be less sassy then."

"That's like me telling you to stop tripping over air. It's hard."

Camila glared at Dinah and pushed her off her lap. She got off the chair and tried to stop away, but her leg got tangled around the chair's leg and she tripped over.

Dinah turned to Ally. "See what I mean?"

Ally looked at Lauren, who seemed to be counting the chocolate chips, before dumping more into it.

"She's still our angel," Normani commented, grinning.

Lauren looked up and smiled. "'ookies?"

Ally nodded. "Let's go put them in the oven."

-

Ally watched as Lauren ran around her. Dinah, Camila, and Normani were all in the water. They offered to take Lauren, but the girl didn't want to leave her Mama. She said she'd go if Ally went.

Someone had to protect their things. So Ally offered to stay. Lauren ended up just running in circles around Ally.

"Lolo, what are you doing?"

"'unnin'," Lauren said, panting as she continued to run.

"Why don't you stop?"

"No!" Lauren screamed, giggling. She threw her hands up in the air and she laughed.

"You're going to get tired."

"No!" Lauren's circle got bigger and she ran more.

Ally just watched her, shaking her head. She watched as Lauren passed in front of her over and over again.

Ally got tired just watching the girl. It didn't take long for Lauren to become tired and lay down, her head on Ally's lap.

"'ood biffday?" Lauren asked, looking up at Ally.

"I get to spend it with my family, it's perfect."

Lauren nodded.

"Why do you run in circles?"

"Hmm?" Lauren murmured, falling asleep.

"You always run, why?"

"I f'ee. I 'appy," Lauren said, falling asleep, "it sof'. I 'an 'un."

Ally gave her a small smile while she ran her hand through the girl's head.

"I love you baby."

"Love you Mama," Lauren muttered, her eyes closing.

-

Ally woke up a little bit later. She didn't even notice she fell asleep in the first place. She yawn, as she looked down at Lauren. The girl was still asleep against her. The girl's thumb was in her mouth, something she hadn't done in some time.

Ally looked around, but the other girls were gone. She sat up, and turned, before laughing. The girls had set up a table behind her, a boxed up cake on it. The other three girls were on chairs around the table, asleep.

Ally's movements woke Lauren up. The young girl sat up and rubbed her eyes. "'ake?"

"You know?"

"No?"

Ally shook her head. Lauren had the same response as Dinah did for everything.

"Why don't you wake the girls up?" Ally suggested.

Lauren nodded her head. "O'ay."

"O _k_ ay," Ally told her.

Lauren frowned. "Oh-lay?"

"O _k_ ay."

"No."

"Lo, you know you can say it. You make the sound, you can do it."

Lauren looked at the sand, She rubbed her hands together. "Oh- _kay_. Okay. Okay Mama!"

Lauren grinned. Ally loved seeing the proud look on Lauren's face when she was able to pronouce words better than she did before. The girl looked so happy, so glad that she was able to talk better.

Lauren quickly jumped onto Dinah's lap, grinning. "Ma, 'ake up, okay?"

Dinah groaned as she opened her eyes.

"'ake up, okay?"

Dinah let out a small laugh. "You are an adorable, sassy puppy."

"Okay."

"I'm proud of you, Pup," Dinah said, shaking her head. "Wake Mila and Mani up."

"Okay."

Lauren did the same thing to Camila and Normani.

Normani stood up and walked towards Ally.

"We fell asleep. But happy birthday," Normani whispered, leaning forward and kissing Ally.

Ally closed her eyes and savored the lips. She grinned, hugging her fiancee. "We're getting married in three weeks."

"I can't wait to call you my wife. I'll give you the world."

"I just want your name."

Normani froze. "Wh-what?"

"We never talk about it, but I want to be Ally Hamilton. Brandon can continue the Hernandez name, but you have no one to continue the Hamilton name. I want to keep it going."

Normani grinned. "I love you, so much. Thank you."

Dinah laughed. "You guys are barely having this conversation?"

Normani glared at the younger girl. "Yeah, have you?"

Dinah smirked. "We talked about it before we got engaged. We are taking Camila's name for the same reason."

"'ake? Okay?" Lauren asked, looking at the box. She reached over to open it. Camila pulled her away.

"Let your Mama open it, it's her birthday."

Lauren huffed. "Okay."

"Oh my god, please tell me that's not going to be the answer to everything now. Hey, we won't need to ever get a puppy, we have Lauren," Dinah said, laughing.

Lauren looked confused. "Puppy? I 'ed puppy?"

"Oh sweetie, you are the puppy."

Lauren glared. "You 'og."

"She just innocently called you the B-word," Camila said, laughing. She grabbed the knife and handed to Ally.

Lauren nodded. "'es, I do."

"You are such an annoying child."

"Okay."

 


	58. Past is the Present

 

Pizza. Lauren had wanted pizza, as did Camila, but Camila always wanted pizza. Lauren grinned when the pizza was brought to her table.

"Lauren?" she heard the waitress whisper. Lauren looked up and gasped. "Lauren, it's me Ashley."

"A'ley," Lauren whispered, grinning. "I's A'ley!"

Ashley let out a laugh and nodded. "Yeah, I've been looking for you."

"I 'afe. 'ome," Lauren responded, grinning at her mothers.

Camila frowned at the woman in front of her. Her dark hair, tattoos on her arms. She looked older than Lauren, but was probably younger than Camila and the girls.

"What happened to Clara and Mike?"

"They were arrested," Normani said, glared at the woman.

This "Ashley" turned to the woman. "Who are you guys?"

"We are Lauren's mothers," Ally said through her gritted teeth, "who are  _you_?"

Lauren just watched with wide eyes. She slowly reached for some pizza. She slid it onto her plate and stared to pulled the pepperonis, eating them.

"I am Lauren's friend."

"We know all of Lauren's friends, and you aren't one of them," Dinah responded, also glared.

"Ashley? Right?" Camila asked, her voice soft.

The girl turned to Camila, her own glare softening. "Ashley Frangipane."

Camila nodded. "We met Lauren a few months ago and she has been living with us since. We have been raising. She sees us as her mothers and we are. You know our relationship with Lo, how do you know her?"

Ashley bit her lip. "I've known Lauren since she was two."

-

Lauren was sitting next to Ashley's legs at the Hernandez-Hamilton-Hansen-Cabello home. She was playing with her toy cars, Nala on her lap. Ashley sat on the recliner, while the other four girls sat on the couch.

"You knew Lauren when she was two? How?"

"Our parents were friends. I was five when I met Lauren and her parents. I still remember, she was hugging her teddy bear. She was the smallest thing I had ever seen, and her eyes were so green. She was so innocent. Her parents weren't always assholes. They did love her. Then one day, they just stopped."

"Do you know why?" Ally asked, her eyes on Lauren, the girl who seemed oblivious to the seriousness of the conversation. (She was just letting her cars climb up Ashley's leg, making a small motor sound.

All the girls smiled when Lauren's motor sounds stopped, the car stopped moving, and it fell. She made a small scream, as if the people in the car were screaming. Lauren let the car touch the ground, then made a small exploding sound.)

"They are the only ones that know. I remember being able to visit Lauren every day, then one day saying that they didn't want visitors."

"How do you stop caring?" Camila asked, her eyes filled with tears. "How do you go from loving your child, to hating them?"

Ashley shrugged. "You'd have to ask them."

"How does she remember you if you couldn't visit?"

Ashley smirked, as she ran her hand through the girl's hair. Lauren looked up and grinned. She then turned to her cars. (The car that exploded caused other cars to crash, making a huge accident. Lauren got her lego people and they were all running and screaming for help. The four girls realized how dark the girl's mind was.)

"I'd sneak inside. Mike and Clara kept her in the attic. There was a tree that I was able to climb. Mike always went to work, while Clara got drunk. It was pretty easy to get to Lauren. I had started school, so I'd bring my books and try to teach Lauren things."

"That's why she can understand us and isn't completely mute?" Dinah questioned.

"I can't take full credit. For the first two and a half years of her life, her parents were good parents. They were great with her, they took her out. They spoiled her."

"Until they didn't want her anymore," Camila whispered, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.

"No 'wy Mami," Lauren whispered, standing up and hugged Camila. The Cuban-Mexican girl let out a small laugh.

"I'm fine Lolo, I love you."

"I love you," Lauren whispered, kissing Camila's cheek and going back to her spot on the ground and the massive car accident she caused, (now, imaginary buildings caught fire and there were more casualties. That was one dark, dark girl).

Ashley was watching. "Mike and Clara moved them when Lauren was seven. I couldn't visit every day, so I guess the lessons didn't stick. But I tried. It's amazing to hear her say full sentences."

"We're trying. She goes to school. She's learning," Ally said, grinning.

"This is probably the best thing to ever happen to Lauren."

-

Ashley Frangipane always regretted not saying anything. She could have saved Lauren a lot of pain. If she had said something, maybe Lauren could have had a normal life. But she didn't. When the Jaureguis moved, Ashley was unable to find them, and that broke her heart, because she knew anything could happen to Lauren, and no one would be able to stop it from happening.

Ashley did wonder what had changed between Lauren and her biological parents. Why they decided they didn't love Lauren. But she knew the only way to find out was to talk to them.

"P'ay?" Lauren asked, looking up at Ashley. The older girl nodded, and sat on the ground with Lauren.

Lauren passed her some legos and they started to create figures.

"Are you happy?"

"'es, I 'aves 'amily. Dey 'ice," Lauren answered, staring at the toys in her hand.

"I wish I saved you when we were kids?"

Lauren frowned and looked up at Ashley. "Why?"

"You'd have a normal life."

Lauren shrugged. "I-I 'aves wi'es. I love 'ucy an' 'ailee. I love Mama an' Mami an' Ma an' Mommy. I love Un'le Ausie an' 'awny an' Aun'ie Anna an' B'idd. I love."

Ashley looked at the girl. She had learned so much, she had grown up so much. And she had more people on her side then before.

"I hope I can see you again."

"You're always welcome here. We're sorry for how we were at the pizzaria. We're just protective of Lauren," Normani said.

"I get it. I was the same. She's too innocent and trusting. You just get the feeling to take care of her. It's getting late, I have to go."

Lauren frowned. "You 'eave?"

"I'll be back. Maybe we can hang out?"

"Like we said, you are welcome back anytime," Dinah said grinning. "And thank you, for what you told us."

Ashley grabbed her jacket and nodded. "Of course. You guys deserve to know."

She gave Lauren a hug and walked to the door. She said her goodbyes and left. She knew Lauren was in the best hands. Lauren had the life Ashley wished she had earlier.


	59. Why

 

"This is a horrible idea! You aren't doing this for Lauren! She doesn't need to do this!" Camila snapped, glaring at her fiancee, cousin, and best friend.

"They want to see her," Normani said, frowning.

"Why should we care? After what they did? Why the  _fuck_  should their needs be our priority?"

"Camila, do you need another-"

"No! I don't need another session! This has  _nothing_  to do with me, this is about her! We are  _not_  doing this."

"We outnumber you, Camila."

"This is a horrible idea," Camila whispered.

"Are you going with us or not?"

"Mami?" a small voice asked from the doorway. They all turned to see Lauren, hugging her Nala, staring at the girls with her big eyes.

"Hey Lolo,"

"Mami mad? No mad."

"I'm, your moms want to do something I don't want them to do," Camila said, shooting the other three women a glare.

"Den no do," Lauren said, as if it was obvious.

"They want to though. Lo, whatever happens, just say the word and we can get ice cream, okay?"

Lauren nodded, frowning

Camila looked at Dinah. "I'm not okay with this. And tonight, I'll be sleeping in the living room."

"Mila-"

"Let's go get you dressed Lolo," Camila said, leading Lauren out of the room.

-

Lauren looked around the room. Dinah and Camila sat on one side, while Normani and Ally sat on the other. "Wha' we doin'?" Lauren asked, pressing her palms on the metal table in front of her. She pulled them away and giggled when she saw her handprint.

Before anyone could answer, the door opened and people walking in. Two of them Lauren knew. She froze, staring at the two. She tensed up as they got closer.

"Lauren?" the woman said, sitting down in front of the girl.

"No," Lauren whispered, shaking her head. She clenched her fists on the table. She slowly rocked herself.

"Lauren-"

"No!" Lauren shouted, clenching her eyes shut. "Y-you 'ean. You 'id me. You 'ean!"

"That's it, we're leaving," Camila said, standing up.

"Please, don't go," the man whispered, staring at Lauren.

Camila shook her head. "Why? You don't deserve to even look at her."

"We're sorry," Clara Jauregui whispered, staring at the table.

Camila let out a laugh. "Sorry? You're sorry? For all the damaged you caused her?"

"Cam-" Dinah tried, but the Cuban-Mexican girl shook her head.

"No, they don't deserve to look at Lauren."

"We want to explain," Mike Jauregui said, his worn out eyes staring at the family in front of him.

Camila ignored him and turned to Lauren. "Lo, do you want to go? Tell me if you want to go and we'll leave."

Lauren didn't respond. She stared at her birth parents, seeing the look on their faces.

"Why?"

"Lau-"

"You don't get to say her name," Camila snapped, slamming her hands on the table.

"Miss, you'll have to calm down or we will escort you out," the guard said, his steely eyes connecting with her.

Camila took a deep breath and nodded.

"Why did you stop loving her?" Ally asked, staring at the two people in front of her.

"It got hard," Clara whispered, staring at her hands, "having a child, supporting the child, it got hard."

"Why not give her up to adoption? Why keep her and  _fuck_  up her life?" Camila asked, pulling Lauren towards her. The younger girl had her eyes closed, holding onto Camila's shirt tightly.

"We don't know," Mike answered, "we had her for two years. We thought maybe, just maybe we'd be okay."

"So locking her away was the way to go?"

Clara started to sob. "She ruined my life! I had so much going on, and then I got pregnant. It was fun at first, having a baby, but then she got  _needy_  and I just couldn't deal with it. She ruined my life, so I ruined hers."

Normani shook her head. "And that made it right?"

"Yes!"

"How did she run away?" Dinah questioned, feeling anger in her veins. In her eyes, the people were unredeemable.

"We don't know. One day, she was just gone. We didn't look for her, because we didn't want her," Mike said, holding his wife.

"We are leaving," Camila said, standing up. She was leading Lauren out, when Clara asked them to stop.

"There is something Lauren should know," she told them.

"You have five seconds, say it," Camila spat out, holding Lauren close.

"We wanted to tell you you have a little brother and sister."

Lauren gasped, tensing up. She looked up at Camila. "B'oder? Sis'er?"

"We gave them to adoption when they were small. Your brother, we named his Christopher, he should be fourteen or fifteen. Your little sister, Taylor, she should be thirteen. You're a big sister."

Lauren stared at them, tears in her eyes. "Why? Why hade me?"

"You weren't our perfect little girl anymore," Mike answered, standing up.

"I 'oopid, you ma'es me 'oopid. I no 'ed, 'ause you," Lauren said, tears falling down her eyes. She shook her head. "No mommy, no daddy. No 'amily. You no 'amily. You no love me."

Clara stood up. "Lauren."

"I 'o 'ome Mami. I no wan' 'ewe," Lauren whispered, curling up in Camila's side.

The singer shot the prisoners a glare before leading Lauren away.

Clara and Mike stared at Dinah, Ally and Normani. The three girls didn't know how to feel about the meeting.

"Tell her we're sorry," Mike told them, grabbing Clara's hand.

Ally shook her head. "No. You don't deserve her forgiveness. She is  _our_  perfect little girl, and she always will be."

Dinah laughed. "And you swear we are going to do anything for you, you mean nothing to us."

"You came here," Clara said, frowning. "You came to see us. I saw Lauren's face. She didn't know."

Normani grabbed both Ally and Dinah's hands. "Fuck you."

-

The car ride had been quiet. Camila and Lauren were curled up, ignoring the other three girls.

Once in the house, Camila took Lauren to the younger girl's room. They stayed there.

When the other three girl's entered they found both girls laying down on the bed, Camila softly singing  _Llama Llama Red Pyjama_ , to Lauren.

"Lo, Mila?" Dinah whispered.

Lauren tensed up. "No."

"We're sorry."

"No."

"Lo-"

"No! 'eave!"

Ally sighed. "We are sorry."

Camila sighed. "Just get out. We'll talk in the morning."

The three girls left, wondering what was going to happen in the morning. They just hoped they didn't mess up their relationships.


	60. Who Matters?

****" _Mami, I hurd_ ," the girls heard Lauren say through the baby monitor.

" _I know baby. You'll be okay,_ " Camila responded. " _Why don't we go watch television? Want to see the Lion King?"_

 _"'es p'ease._ " The girls heard rusting. They heard Lauren's door open and close.

Normani sighed and turned to Ally. "We really fucked up, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we shouldn't have let our curiosity get in the way," Dinah said from the floor.

"I just hope they are willing to listen to us in the morning."

"Camila can hold grudges."

"We gotta hope for Lauren then."

-

Dinah walked out of the room. Ally and Normani were still sleeping. She walked into the living room to find Camila and Lauren on the couch. The television still on, on some movie,  _Despicable Me_  maybe?

Lauren was asleep, but Camila's eyes were glued on the television. Dinah could see the puffiness around her eyes.

"Mila-"

"You're going to wake her up," Camila said, her voice void of any emotion.

"Can we-"

"I'm going to take a nap." Camila turned the television off and turned her back to Dinah, holding Lauren close.

Dinah sighed, as she walked to the kitchen, starting breakfast.

-

It was two hours later when Ally and Normani walked into the kitchen, Lauren and Camila were still asleep.

"Have they been asleep this whole time?" Ally asked, staring at the girls in the living room.

Dinah shook her head. "Camila fell asleep when I tried to talk to her. She's still mad."

Ally and Normani went into the kitchen and started to eat. It was another hour when they went to check on Lauren and Camila.

Lauren was awake, rubbing her eyes. She was hugging the small blanket against her body.

"Lauren?" Normani whispered, walking towards the girl.

Lauren shook her head. "No."

"Lo."

"No! 'eave me a'one!"

Lauren's shout woke Camila up, who quickly took Lauren into her arms. "It's okay."

"No, no okay."

"How about we go out to eat? Just you and me? Yeah?"

"'es p'ease," Lauren whispered, leaning against Camila.

The older girl nodded. "Go, I'll meet you in your room to help you get ready. See if there is anything you want to put on for today?"

Lauren nodded and hurried out of the room, her head low, not looking at any of the three other girls. Camila turned to the three women.

"Camil-"

"No. I know you're sorry. I know you regret it, but this is all  _you_  faults. You decided that Lauren should see her parents, the ones that messed up her life in the first place!"

"Cam-"

"You don't get to talk. You know, I always thought Dinah and I would be the ones to make mistakes. I always thought  _you_ , Ally, and  _you_ , Normani, would be the ones to think logically. I guess not, with the  _real kid_  comment and all. You just keep making mistake after mistake, not really learning."

"That's not fair," Ally said, shaking her head.

"What's not fair is letting Lauren see her parents, the people she's  _scared_  of! What's not fair is saying that what I say doesn't matter because I'm outnumbered! What's not fair is that you hurt us!"

"Can we talk-"

"Not now. You guys disappointed me, and I can't even look at you. Lauren and I are going to eat, we'll be back later."

"I made breakfast," Dinah whispered, frowning.

"Go give it to Lauren's parents, I know they matter more than we do."

-

"Back again? Where's the rest of the family?"

Camila looked up from her menu to see Ashley standing there, a smile on her face.

"It's just Lolo and me today."

Ashley nodded. "Pepperoni pizza?"

"Yes please."

Ashley wrote it down before turning to Lauren. "Hey Laur."

Lauren looked up at Ashley. "'allo."

Ashley turned to Camila, but the older girl just shook her head. Ashley nodded and walked to get their order in.

"You okay Lo?"

Lauren just shrugged. She drew pattern on the table.

"I know. But I'm here. When ever you are ready, okay?"

Lauren nodded.

It hurt, to see Lauren so sad. She hadn't smiled since before visiting her birth parents.

"Do you want to go to the park after?"

No answer.

"Want some ice cream?"

Nothing.

"How about we go to the candy store? See your friend that works there?"

Zip.

Camila sighed, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have fought harder to change their minds. I gave up, and I-I'm sorry."

Lauren looked at Camila, frowning. "No fau'. I no mad you."

"I know you aren't but if I had just-"

Lauren pressed her hand against Camila's mouth. "No." Lauren hugged her, and let Camila let out her emotions.

Lauren just hummed.

-

Camila and Lauren walked into the house. Dinah, Ally and Normani were sitting on the couch. The television was off and everything was silent.

The second the girl's walked in, the other three stood up.

"Mila, Lo, we, please talk to us," Dinah cried, shaking her head.

Neither girl answered. Lauren inched closer to Camila.

"We thought, if you saw your old parents, you could let go of your past. We thought they'd regret everything," Normani said, tears streaming down her face.

"Dey hurd me," Lauren whispered, staring at the ground. "You hurd me. I hurd."

"Please, forgive us," Ally whispered.

Lauren shook her head. "No."

"Lo-"

"No! I mad! I hurd! I 'em'er! I no wan'!" Lauren cried, shaking her head. "I hade! I hade dem! I mad, you! No!"

Lauren's body started to tremble. Camila pulled Lauren into her arms.

"Y-you, no!"

Lauren's legs gave up on her. She would have hit the ground if Camila wasn't holding her. Camila slowly moved them towards the couch.

"Mami, I 'o'd," Lauren said, a far away look on her face.

"You're cold?" Camila whispered, rubbing the girl's bare arms.

"I 'o'd. No 'ood, no 'awk wigh'," Lauren continued, her eyes glazed over. Lauren started to sob. She pressed her face against Camila.

Camila held onto Lauren while the girl cried. The older girl rocked them, while Lauren gripped her shirt.

"You're with us. You're okay," Camila whispered, rocking the small girl.

It was silent, only Lauren's cries filling the space.

Dinah watched, a sob leaving her lips. Camila looked at her, her own eyes filled with tears.

"Please don't leave me," Dinah cried, looking at Camila. "I know what we, what  _I_ did was stupid. I should have listened to you. I need you in my life Camila. Please,  _don't leave me_."

Camila rocked Lauren's body. "I'm angry. I am so damn pissed. But I'm not leaving you. I'm mad, and I'm going to stay mad until Lauren isn't anymore. But I'll still love you."

Dinah nodded, crying. Normani pulled Dinah towards her.

Camila looked down to see Lauren's grip loosen. She slowly quieted down as she fell asleep. Camila looked up to see Ally offering her a blanket. Camila gave her a small 'thank you' and covered Lauren with the blanket.

Dinah, Ally and Normani sat on the other couch.

They all sat in silence, knowing things were better, but they still had to work on it. They just hoped things didn't stay bad for too long.


	61. Okay

Dinah sat at the table. It was dinner, and everyone was sitting around the table. Lauren sat away from everyone except Camila. She silently ate her food, stabbing the broccoli and shoving it into her mouth.

Seeing Lauren do that broke Dinah's heart. The girl looked so defeated. She hard barely uttered a word since waking up. She stayed close to Camila, not letting any of the other girls touch her.

The only time Lauren said anything was when she broke down crying. She had used her pull up and begged to not be hit.

It took Camila a while to calm her down, changing her shortly after. None of the other girls were allowed to get near Lauren. All they could do was watch as Lauren had a panic attack and only allowed Camila to comfort her.

"Lauren," Dinah tried, her voice a whisper. She tried to reach over to touch Lauren's hand.

Lauren shook her head, clenching her eyes shut. Her breathing started to get heavy. Tears were falling out from the corners of her eyes.

"Breathe Lolo, it's okay. You're okay."

Lauren shook her head. "No okay, Mami, no okay."

Dinah bit her lip to keep the sob in, but wasn't successful. Normani patted Dinah's back.

Camila tried to stop Lauren's panic attack from hitting her, and succeeding.

Lauren's green eyes connect with her own, but Lauren turned away. She rubbed her eyes and continued eating her food, stabbing her broccoli.

Dinah pushed her chair away and stormed out of the room. She heard Camila. " _It's okay. Just eat._ "

Dinah rushed into her bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her, leaning against the door and crying.

-

Ally stared at Lauren who was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, Nala pressed against her mouth. Camila had wanted to change, and left Lauren alone. They had been watching  _A Bug's Life_ together.

"Lauren?" Ally whispered.

Lauren whined and curled up into a small ball. She shook her head. "No!"

Ally walked towards the girl and tried to place her hand on the girl's shoulder, but Lauren recoiled.

"No! S'awp!" Lauren shouted, tears streaming down her face.

There was nothing Ally could do except stare, while Lauren tried to get away from Ally. The younger girl sobbed, as her feet got tangled int he blankets and she fell.

Camila ran towards them and wrapped her arms around Lauren. Lauren cried into Camila's shoulder.

"No 'eave me," Lauren cried, shaking her head.

"You weren't alone," Camila whispered, rubbing the girl's back.

What Lauren said next broke Ally's heart.

"No wan' Awwy, wan' Mami."

Ally felt the knot in her throat. She stood there, frozen. Her heart shattered, as she stared at Camila and Lauren.

She was no longer Lauren's Mama. She was just Ally.

Ally stumbled out of the room, crying.

-

Normani heard what had happened. She heard that Ally was no longer Lauren's Mama. That only meant Normani was no longer her Mommy and Dinah wasn't Ma.

This  _visit_  ruined everything. Not just the  _visit_  but them, breaking Lauren's trust.

Normani was on the phone with her mother.

" _We didn't tell you to see them. We told you to sit down with Lauren and talk to her._ "

"If you hadn't put that thought in our heads-"

" _All of you decided this?_ "

Normani glared at nothing. "No. Camila was against it."

 _"Why didn't you listen to her?_ "

"It was the three of us against her."

" _Normani, you are such a smart girl, but what you did was stupid._ "

Normani's voice cracked. "I know. Help me, please."

Andrea sighed in the other end. " _I can't. This is something you and the girls will have to do yourselves._ "

"We aren't her mothers anymore," Normani said, her tears streaming down her face.

" _Normani, baby, you'll always be that girl's mothers. But you broke her trust. You will have to fix it._ "

"O-okay," Normani whispered, rubbing the tears off her eyes.

" _I love you. You're all going to get through this, I know you are._ "

"I love you too mom."

-

Dinah walked into the living room, Ally and Normani walking in behind her. She turned to Camila and Lauren, who were in the middle of  _High School Musical_.

"Can we talk?"

Camila's eyes shifted from the television, to Lauren, to Dinah, before going back to Lauren. "What do you want?"

Lauren curled up against Camila and shrugged.

Camila sat them up. She pulled Lauren onto her lap. "How about we listen to what she says, and if we're still mad, we stay mad? You are allowed to be mad, okay?"

"Okay."

"We're really sorry. I know what we did was messed up. And we really hurt you. We regret ever thinking about them. You are important to us, you are the people who matter," Ally told them, shaking her head.

"We are idiots. We didn't want to hurt you. We were selfish. We thought more of what we wanted to know, not what you needed. As your mothers, we're supposed to put  _your_ needs first. You are supposed to be our priority, and we forgot that," Normani added, rubbing the tears in her eyes.

"We made your thoughts invalid Camila. You warned us, you tried to talk to us, but we just brushed it aside. You were right, but that didn't matter, because we didn't even take the moment to listen to what you had to say to see that you were right," Dinah whispered, her voice breaking.

"We should have sat down and talked about it as a family. We shouldn't have taken that choice away from you," Ally finished, looking at Lauren.

"We're really sorry," Normani told her, biting her lip.

"Okay."

"Okay? You forgive us?" Dinah asked, her eyes wide and filled with hope.

Lauren shook her head. "No."

"Lau-"

"No. Mami 'wy. S-sad. I s'awed. I no 'wusd," Lauren said, looking at the ground.

"Lo," Dinah whispered, taking a step towards the girls.

"No!" Lauren exclaimed, tensing up.

Dinah stopped and turned to Camila. "Mila?"

Camila shook her head. "No. I can't. You really hurt me. Like I said earlier, it felt like what I had to say didn't matter. It felt like before, where I wasn't good enough. I felt like I had no say in how we raise Lauren, but I'd do  _anything_  for her, even stop singing."

"Bu-"

Camila shook her head. "Let me talk. You had your chance. I just need time to trust you guys again."

Dinah frowned. "That sounds like you're breaking up with me."

Camila shook her head. "I'm not. We'll still be together, but I can't forget this. Not now. Just, let me process my emotion. Let me forgive you in my own time, okay?"

Dinah nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "Okay."

"Ally, Mani?"

"Okay," both answered.

Lauren, who was watching, nodded. "Okay."


	62. Questions

 

Ally made breakfast. She placed them on the table. She bit her lip when she places Lauren's plate at the end of the table. Away from the other women. Lauren had become clingy to Camila, having to keep her eyes on the mixed-Latina.

Dinah and Normani walked into the kitchen, taking their seats. Camila came in with Lauren trailing behind her shortly after.

Lauren kept her head down and sat down when she saw her Lion King plate.

"'ank you," Lauren muttered, keeping her eyes on the plate.

"So, uh, what's the plan for today?"

Camila looked her fiancée. "I'm going to the studio today."

"A-and Lauren?" Normani asked, her eyes shifting to Lauren.

"She's coming with me. We need time out of the house and I guess I can work on music," Camila told them with a shrug.

"That's, uh, that's a good idea," Dinah muttered, turning to her food.

"You, you can't be mad at us," Camila said, frowning.

"We're not mad. We just wish we could fix it."

Camila nodded, staring at her breakfast. "I know. And so do I, but it's still fresh. It still hurts, it still makes me cry when I think about it. I think time away from the house will be good for me and Lo."

The other three girls nodded. "We are sorry."

"And we know that. Just let us forgive you in our time, okay?"

Ally nodded. "Okay, we can do that."

-

"You brought my Peanut!" Simon exclaimed, grinning. Ariana turned from her chair and smiled.

"Yeah, I thought we could work on some songs, you know, get things done?"

"That sounds great. Do you want to go to the studio now?" Ariana asked, standing up.

Camila nodded. "Yeah, if it's no problem, I have an idea for a song."

Simon lead Ariana, Camila and Lauren to the studio and sat down.

"Do you have lyrics in mind?"

Camila shook her head. "I have an idea, and I thought maybe I could go in there and just sing. Just me?"

Simon gave her a small smile. "That is perfectly okay. I'll go get a producer." Simon left the room, leaving the other three females alone.

"How are you?" Ariana asked, frowning. She turned to Lauren who was poking at Simon's stuffed Octopus.

"We could be better. Some things just happened, and we needed out of the house."

"Are you okay? Are you and Dinah okay? Do you need a place to stay? I'm not just your manager Camila, I'm your friend."

Camila smiled. "As great as staying somewhere else sounds, I think we should stay home. Being away won't get rid of the problem."

"But aren't you staying away now? You weren't due into the studio for another day."

"I, I just needed to get something out, and I didn't want to deal with my therapist."

Ariana nodded. "Music is therapy. I'm sure everything is going to be great for you. You'll fix this, I know you will."

Simon returned to the studio with a producer. Camila walked towards the booth.

"Mami!"

Camila looked at Lauren, who looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack. She walked over to the girl and knelt down in front of her. "Lo, I'm not leaving. I'm just going to sing and I'm going to be on the other side of the window. Simon and Ariana are here with you. I'm sure Ariana would love to take care of you."

The manager smiled. "You can even wear my ears."

Lauren's eyes widened. She scooted over so she was sitting next to Ariana and stared at the ears. "Okay."

Camila smiled and walked in to the booth. She placed her headphones over her ears. She looked out through the window and smiled.

Lauren had Ariana's cat ears over her own head and was sitting on the older girl's lap. Both girls were looking at her. Ariana's arms around Lauren's waist and her fingers intertwined. Lauren was holding onto Ariana's hand.

Simon pressed the intercom. " _Whenever you are ready_."

Camila nodded and closed her eyes.

One word came into mind.

_Why?_

Hearing Lauren utter the word had broken her heart.

_Hurt._

Having the other girls dismiss her thoughts had hurt her.

_Care._

It felt like the other girls didn't care for what she had to say. They just didn't.

Camila started singing, not caring if it didn't make sense.

_Why did you leave me here to burn?_   
_I'm way too young to be this hurt_   
_I feel doomed in hotel rooms_   
_Staring straight up at the wall_   
_Counting wounds and I am trying to numb them all_

Camila could feel the tears streaming down her face as she sang. She could feel her sobs try to escape her throat, but she kept them inside.

_Do you care, do you care?_   
_Why don't you care?_   
_I gave you all of me_   
_My blood, my sweat, my heart, and my tears_   
_Why don't you care, why don't you care?_   
_I was there, I was there, when no one would_   
_Now you're gone and I'm here_

Camila moved from the mic and took a deep breath. She looked at Lauren who was watching with a frown. Camila moved back to the mic and released the last of her emotions.

_I have questions for you_   
_Number one, tell me who you think you are_   
_You got some nerve trying to tear my faith apart_   
_Number two, why would you try and play me for a fool?_   
_I should have never ever ever trusted you_   
_Number three, why weren't you, who you swore that you would be?_   
_I have questions, I got questions haunting me_   
_I have questions for you_   
_I have questions for you_   
_I have questions for you_

Simon pressed the intercom when Camila didn't continue to sing.

" _Are you and Dinah okay?_ "

Camila shook her head. She watched as Simon rushed into the booth and hugged the girl. Camila sobbed into his shirt, shaking her head. "She hurt me."

Simon ran his hand through the girl's hair, trying to calm her down. "Ssh, it's okay. You're okay."

Camila gripped his shirt, as she released her emotions.

-

"So they just dismissed your thoughts and let Lauren meet her birth parents?" Ariana asked, looking at the girl on Camila's lap.

The younger girl hadn't let Camila go since the singer exited the booth. Lauren had to keep some form of physical contact on the older girl.

"Pretty much. They apologized, but I can't just forgive them. But I feel bad that I haven't. And Lauren, they made her meet her parents without her consent. They just threw her into the lions den without protection. She has nightmares, she quiet, she's not the same girl anymore, and I can't let that go."

Simon shook his head. "No, I get it. It's not something you can easily forgive, it's not like taking your clothes or accidentally hitting you with a car-"

"Or being shipped off in a box by your brother," Ariana chipped in, frowning.

Camila let out a laugh. "What?"

"It happens."

" _Anyways_ , I think you should continue to clear your head, and then, when you or Lauren are ready, you sit down and have a talk. Maybe have Lauren meet her wives. I'm sure they can cheer her up."

Camila nodded. "Yeah, okay. Thank you."

"You are going to fix things with the girls. I know you are. The love you and Dinah share, it's special."

"That means a lot, thank you."

"Okay, now go record some gold. Ariana will watch Lauren for you."

"We have faith that everything is going to turn out great, trust us."


	63. Dummies

 

Lucy had been told she would be visiting Lauren and her family. She had been told that Lauren would need her and Hailee. The girl had been excited to see her wives. She hadn't seen them in some time.

She hadn't been told about what had happened, or why Lauren needed her, but she knew she had to see her.

She grabbed her Bambi and her favorite toys and told her fathers that she was ready to go.

Shawn laughed and kissed her cheek. "You are such a good friend."

Lucy shot him a glare. "No fwiend, wife."

Austin smirked. "Yeah Mendes, wife. Get with the program."

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Sorry Princess. Let's get you to your wife, yeah?"

Lucy nodded her head, ready to get to the Hernandez-Hamilton-Hansen-Cabello home.

She was going to make Lauren feel better. She knew everything was going to be okay.

-

Hailee was sat down by her mothers. She was told that Lauren had been hurt. Hailee started to panic.

Anna quickly wrapped her arms around the girl and held her. "No, not like that. Lauren, she's not physically hurt. Emotionally."

"Why?" Hailee asked, leaning against her mother, relishing the safety feeling she felt.

"Lauren's mothers did something, they didn't think it would hurt Lauren as much as it did," Brittany whispered, staring at Hailee.

The young girl nodded her head. "We see her?"

"We are going over. Lucy is going to be there too."

"Good. We pwotect Lauren. She safe."

Anna kissed her daughter's cheek. "You are really special Hailee."

The girl grinned. "I-I haves good moms."

Anna squeezed the girl, hearing Hailee's giggles.

-

Lucy was the first to arrive. She was holding Lauren, who was curled up on her lap. She ran her hand through Lauren's hair, as the girl watched television. Other than a kiss on the cheek and a small " _'allo_ " Lauren hadn't done much.

Camila was also sitting next to the other girls, but not with them at the same time.

The whole house felt off. And Lucy didn't know what to feel about it.

Hailee arrived a little later, and the girl glared at the mothers.

"Hails!" Lucy said, grinning. "Lauwie, look, wifey."

Austin laughed. Shawn shot him a look. "You taught her that word?"

"You can't tell me it was adorable. Admit it," Austin said in a smug tone.

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Fine, it was cute."

Hailee kissed Lucy's lips before turning to Lauren.

"You okay Wenny?"

Lauren shrugged, her green eyes connecting with Hailee's.

"What happen?" Lucy asked, confused. She looked around to see that everyone wasn't confused. Everyone seemed to know what had happened except her.

"Dey," Lauren whispered, pointing to the mothers.

"What Lauwen?" Hailee asked, frowning.

"I see o'd Mommy an' Daddy. Dey 'ake me," Lauren whispered, closing her eyes.

Lucy turned to Hailee, to see something in her eyes change. She could see the girl tense up.

"We pwotect you Lauwen. We, we hewe fow you," Hailee told the younger girl. Hailee pressed a kiss on Lauren's forehead before turning to the mothers.

Lucy frowned, watching Hailee stand in front of the four women.

"You all dummies," Hailee said, shaking her head. "You-you not think. You, you huwt Lauwen, and no okay."

"Hailee-" Dinah tried, but was cut off.

"No, I talk. You-you, you not think!" Hailee repeated, shaking her head.

"Camila had nothing to do with this," Ally whispered, looking at her cousin.

Hailee's looked at Camila before nodding. She turned back to the three guilty women.

"You, you dumb! You, I, no!" Hailee seemed to stumble in her words, as she shook her head.

Hailee looked at Lauren and Lucy, who were watching. Lucy looked into Hailee's hazel eyes and saw the pain in them. She knew then, it wasn't Little Hailee who was stumbling in her words, but Big Hailee.

And Lucy knew that Big Hailee would need Big Lucy in her side, and she was willing to let go of her Little side for her hurt friend any day.

-

Lauren visited her parents. She saw the monsters who destroyed the girl.

Hailee couldn't let that go. Not when she knew exactly how much Lauren hated her parents, because that was what she felt for her own.

"Th-that was, you w-were stup-stupid," Hailee told them, clenching her teeth together. She stared at the ground, not wanting to have eye contact with any of the girls. "Th-they were mean people! An-and, and they didn't c-ca-care, an-and they l-liked it! Th-th-they just wa-wan-want to hurt. They want to hurt e-eve-even though they aren't around. Wh-why would you do that? Why w-w-would you, why, why would you give them that power? They are probably laughing that you ruined the last thing she had. She p-probably think you d-do-don't care about what she feels. You-you are so stupid, and-and you let them win! You let them win and, I-I can't breath. I can't breath," Hailee gasped, as she felt herself hunched over. She felt someone place a hand on her that wasn't her mothers. She jumped away. "No! I-I'm not done. I, I need to, I needa, I need to finish."

"Hailee, breath," Normani whispered, looking at the girl with concern.

"You-you guys are l-llike my m-mothers too. You helped me, especially you N-Nor-Normani, but what you did, it was  _fucked_  up. Why didn't you think of Lauren? Why-why did you let that happen? I don't, I d-do-don't get why that w-would happen in the first place? If my Mami and Mommy took me to see P-Pe-Peter and Ch-Cheri, I'd be pissed too. They made my life  _hell_. They made sure I was, I was never happy, and I'd have n-nothing. Meeting Mami and Mommy was the b-best thing to  _ever_  happen to me, and if th-the-they broke my trust, I do-don't know wh-what I'll do. A-and that's wh-what you d-did."

"We didn't mean to hurt her," Dinah whispered, tears in her eyes.

"But you did," Lucy said from her spot. She had a frown on her face. "You broke her trust, and you deserve her anger. Lauren still loves you though. But what you did, it was horrible. I'd never want to see my foster parents. They were monsters." Lucy looked over. Lauren was asleep with her head on Lucy's shoulder. "She's not sleeping."

Camila shook her head. "She has nightmares. We stay up in the night and watch movies until she's too tired to keep her eyes opened."

"She's having nightmares," Lucy whispered, staring at the girl.

Hailee could see the gears turn in Lucy's head.

"She's remembering."

"What?"

"She's going through what she went through with her parents. That happens to me, when I see a picture of my parents, I remember things about them, what I felt when I was with them if I can't remember them. She's probably remembering her life with her birth parents."

"I get quiet when I think of  _them_ ," Hailee muttered, staring at the girl on Lucy's lap.

"We didn't mean to hurt her. We weren't thinking. We just though Lauren would need closure. But really, we were just thinking about ourselves," Normani whispered, staring at her hands.

"We love Lauren more than anything, and we are going to spend forever making it up for her," Dinah added, staring at her hands.

"We just can't lose any of you," Ally finished.

Hailee nodded. And in an even and steady voice said, "You hurt her again, and I will do something about it.  _No one hurts my girls._ "

Hailee turned and gently woke Lauren up before leading her away.

-

The adults stared at Lucy who was left alone.

"I'd scream at you. I want to, but I feel like you've had enough of that. I just hope you learn your lesson. Have Lauren do something she's not ready for again, and you're going to be sorry." Lucy turned and walked towards Lauren's bedroom.

It was quiet for a second before Dinah talked. "I don't know who I'm more scared of, Lucy or Hailee."

Slowly the others started to laugh. Camila had a small smile. She patted Dinah's knee and signaled for the door.

They walked out of the house. They sat down at the edge of the curve.

"I sang a song, a few actually. I know I said I wouldn't forgive you until Lauren did, but I don't think I can keep doing this. You hurt me, you really did, but I know you're really sorry. I hear you crying, and that hurts me too. I'm not going to apologize for being mad. But I think we can get past this. I just had to get it out, talk to someone who wasn't you or the other girls."

"Are we okay now?"

"Not now, but we will be. I love you Dinah Jane Hansen. You are it for me, and I'm never going to leave you."

"C-can I kiss you?" Dinah asked, tears in her eyes.

Camila nodded. Both shared a kiss, neither wanted to pull away, but they did.

"Are you going to bed with me tonight?"

The older girl shook her head. "No, I don't feel comfortable leaving Lauren alone. Not with what's going through her head."

"Do you think we should get her help?"

"I think so, if it gets worse. We'll have to talk to her about it."

Both girls stood up. "I'll never stop making it up to you."

"I know."

Both girls walked in and went to check on the three younger girls. Entering the room, they found the three girls asleep on the bed. As always, Lauren was in between both girls. Usually, Lauren held both girls to her, but this time, Hailee and Lucy were holding Lauren. They were protecting her, even in her sleep.

 


	64. Trust Us

 

Two more days had passed, and Lauren was slowly warming up to the other women.

Lauren rubbed her eyes, before pressing her face against her Mami's stomach.

"Is Lolo awake?" Camila asked, rubbing the girl's arm.

Lauren shook her head. "S'eep."

"Did you sleep well?"

Lauren shrugged. "Bad. I see o'd Mommy an' Daddy. Dey 'ean."

Camila ran her hand through the girl's hair. "Do you want to go to the park today? Maybe get some ice cream?"

"'es p'ease," Lauren muttered, nodding her head.

"Let's go get you bathed and get you ready. Are you okay with y-Dinah, Ally and Normani coming with us."

"Dey no be 'ean?"

"No baby. They promise to never be mean again, okay?"

"Dey 'ome 'oo. B-bu' I no, I, dey buy me ice 'weam."

Camila let out a small laugh. Lauren was slowly going back to who she was, but she still wasn't comfortable around the other girls.

Lauren followed Camila to get changed. She was left in front of the television while Camila went to tell the other girls of the plans.

-

Dinah looked over to her side to see Camila swinging on the swing. .

Dinah looked at Lauren, who was playing with the sand. Lauren had stopped eating broccoli, which was something Dinah never thought she'd be relieved to see.

Lauren looked over at Dinah, before looking away. Dinah smiled softly. Lauren had been acknowledging them a little more, which was a great first step.

Lauren stood up and dusted her shorts. She walked over to where Dinah and Camila were sitting. "Mami, 'o on s'ide?"

"Do you mind if Dinah goes with us? She can catch you at the bottom of the slide," Camila said, standing up from the swing. "And I'll be behind you at all times. But only if you want to, you can say no."

Lauren's eyes shifted from Camila to Dinah, back to Camila, and then to Dinah before nodding. "Okay. 'es."

" _Yes_."

"Y-yes. Yes Mami," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Camila kissed the girl's cheek and grabbed her hand. She lead her up the play structure until they got to the top of the slide. Dinah watched as Lauren stared at the blonde.

"Mami, 'inah 'od us?" Lauren asked, as she sat down.

Camila sat down behind her and held her close. Dinah saw Camila look at her and both shared a smile. "Always."

"'eady?"

"In one, two, three," Camila pushed them off they slide. Lauren giggled the whole way down. Dinah stopped them from tumbling off.

"'gain!"

"Okay Lolo."

Lauren turned to Dinah. She leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek. "'ank you."

"No problem."

Lauren grabbed Camila's hand and ran to the top of the play structure.

Dinah looked at the picnic table to see Ally and Normani watching. They gave her a small smile, which Dinah returned. Baby steps.

-

The ice cream parlor was mostly empty. Lauren sat down at a booth with Camila while the other three girls ordered. Lauren looked around, something she always did even if she had been to the place multiple times.

Normani and Dinah placed the ice cream in front of the two girls before getting into the booth. Ally was the last one to get to the booth.

Lauren placed her cherry on a napkin and started to eat her sundae. The other women talked while they ate, they talked about Normally's wedding, and what they needed and what was already taken care of.

Normani looked over to see Lauren staring at her.

"Hey Monster," Normani said, a small smile on her face.

Lauren looked down at the napkin, before she looked up at Normani. "'e-ewwy?"

Normani's smile grew. The two had a small tradition, where they would share a cherry. It was something Lauren didn't do with any of the other girls. If Normani wasn't there, Lauren ate the whole fruit.

"O-okay," Normani stuttered, nodding her head. She grabbed her fork and cut the cherry in half, letting Lauren take half and both ate one.

Lauren shot Normani a small smile before finishing her ice cream, creating a mess on her face.

-

Ally was cooking dinner when she felt someone watching her. She turned to see Lauren peeking at her from the other side of the doorway. She could see the pair of green eyes. Lauren didn't even try to hide.

"Everything okay?" Ally asked, fully facing the girl.

Lauren shook her head.

"What's wrong?"

"Ba' dweam. Pee," Lauren said, walking towards Ally and patting her pull-up. "Mami no 'ewe."

Ally gave her a small smile. "Do you want me to change you?"

"Yes p'ease."

Ally gasped. "You learned a new word!"

Lauren beamed at that. "Yes, new."

"I know you're still mad, but I am so proud of you."

Lauren looked away. "Okay."

Ally led Lauren to her room to change her.

-

Lauren pulled Camila away from the other girls. She made sure they were distracted.

"Mami, I no mad."

"You aren't anymore?"

"No?"

Camila smiled. "You don't sound so sure. You have to be sure, because you are going to do it for you, okay?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still feel like crying when you are around them?"

Lauren shook her head. "No. I s'awed Mami."

"I know baby. Do you what you want, I'll be with you every step of the way, okay?"

Lauren nodded and followed Camila into the living room. There, the other three women were ready to watch a movie. Lauren's spot on the ground (it was actually quite comfortable, it had a sleeping bag and was surrounded by her stuffed animals) was ready for her. She sat down and grabbed Nala, moving her so she could also watch the movie.

"Ready Lo?" Normani asked, ready to put play on the movie.

"Yes."

Lauren didn't pay attention to the movie. She was staring at the women (who knew, but made no movement to showing that they knew).

They had changed Lauren's life for the better, and Lauren was always going to be grateful, but what they did scared her so much. She still had nightmares her parents broke out of prison and took her, while the women did nothing. Hailee and Lucy had talked to her (she had met Big Lucy and Big Hailee for the first time and loved them even more. Their voices were different, and Lauren knew they could put her to sleep with how soothing they sounded). But they had talked to her, saying that they got what she felt, and it was okay to be mad, but her mothers did love her. They told Lauren to take her time and let herself accept their forgiveness.

And Lauren felt it was time.

Lauren looked around the living room. Lauren hugged Nala close, as she bit her pacifier (which she really only used when she was sleeping). She curled up in her sleeping bag and made sure she and Nala were warm.

"Nigh' Mami, Mama, Ma, Mommy," Lauren said, before closing her eyes.

She heard her mothers gasp. She could hear the three start to cry.

Lauren had a small smile on her face as she fell asleep.

 


	65. Be Okay

 

Dinah gently shook Lauren awake.

"S'eep, s'op," Lauren muttered, her face pressed against Nala and she pushed Dinah away.

"Want to go grocery shopping with me? We can get some ice cream after?" Dinah asked, still shaking the girl.

Lauren let out a whine as she sat up. She rubbed her eyes. "Mami 'oin'?"

Dinah shook her head. "It's just going to be us."

Lauren looked from Dinah to Camila (who gave her an encouraging smile) and back to Dinah.

"Okay. I wan' ice 'weam."

Dinah grinned and nodded her head. "Let's go get you changed and brush your teeth, yeah?"

Lauren nodded. She raised her hands, wanting to be carried. Dinah picked up the girl and took her to have her changed and ready for their time out.

-

Lauren was instructed to have a hand on the cart at all times. Dinah told her that she didn't want Lauren to get lost.

Lauren stayed with Dinah at all times.

Lauren looked around in awe, having never been in to a grocery store. There was so much food. She followed Dinah as she looked around.

Lauren's eyes widened when she saw the mangos. She wanted some, having tasted the fruit and she fell in love with it. She opened her mouth to tell Dinah she wanted some, but she shut it quickly. Lauren loved Dinah, she did, but she felt like is she pissed her off. She loved Dinah, but she wasn't fully comfortable around the older woman. But she was getting there.

-

Dinah closed the notes on her phone, having gotten everything on the list. She looked at Lauren to tell her they were ready to get the ice cream when she saw Lauren staring longingly at the fruits.

"Is there anything you want Casper?" Dinah asked, staring at the girl.

Lauren's green eyes widened as she looked at Dinah. She shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

Lauren nodded back.

"Well, I want some mangos. I think we should get some, do you?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

Dinah and Lauren walked to the mangos. Dinah told Lauren to pick the mangos. She watched as Lauren held each mango to her ear, choosing some, but not others.

"What are you doing?" Dinah asked with a confused look her face.

Lauren looked up, surprised, as if she was shocked to see Dinah standing there.

"No'ing," Lauren said, giving Dinah an innocent smile

Dinah said nothing as Lauren grabbed four mangos and placed them inside a bag. She gave the bag to Dinah. "Dey wan' 'ome."

"They want a home?" Dinah asked, tying the bag.

"Yes."

"You do know we're going to eat them, right?"

Lauren looked straight into Dinah's eyes. "Yes. Dey die."

"Who are you?"

-

Lauren ran into the house and straight to Camila. "Mami, we 'e-'et man'os!"

Camila smiled. "You get hands?"

"No, Mami, man'os!"

"Exactly,  _hands_."

Lauren sighed.

"Baby, manos is hands in Spanish."

"I no know  _spanis_."

Camila laughed. "You got mangos?"

"Yes! I-I 'et 'ood ones!"

"And how did you get them?"

"She listened for the ones who told her they wanted to go home. Then she decided those were going to die," Dinah answered, as she brought in the bags.

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

Camila stared at the girl. "Lauren said that? The Broccoli protector?"

Dinah shrugged. "She only defends the broccoli."

Lauren ran away, giggling.

Dinah turned to Camila. "Want to help me bring the things in?"

Camila looked at Dinah. "No."

-

Lauren was watching her Lion King when Normani sat down next to her. The young girl tensed up. Normani bit her lip and started at Lauren, who slowly un-tensed.

"Hey Monster."

"'allo," Lauren whispered, rubbing her hands together, her eyes glued to the television.

"Mind if I watch with you?"

Lauren shrugged.

The two stared at the television, well Lauren did, Normani watched Lauren. The girl giggled any time Timon and Pumba made an appearance.

Lauren looked over at Normani before turning back to the movie.

"Everything okay Lo?"

"Yes."

Normani leaned back against the couch. She watched as Lauren moved little-by-little, until she was leaning against Normani. Normani could feel Lauren reach for Normani's arm and place it around her shoulder. She tried to keep her smile off her face as Lauren placed her head on Normani.

It was all done on Lauren's time and it felt right. Both finished the movie together.

-

Ally was cooking dinner, as she did the nights they didn't have takeout. She swore Dinah and Camila would only eat out if they didn't love with her. She let a small laugh and shook her head.

She heard a small sound behind her. She turned to see Lauren standing there. The young girl jumped and looked ready to bolt at any second.

"Hey Lo," Ally said, turning back to her food. She heard Lauren getting closer and closer.

"'allo," Lauren whispered, looking at what Ally was making.

"Do you want to help?"

Lauren looked shocked.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Ally said, "but if you, you can get the plates."

Lauren bit her lip, her fingers tapping her leg.

"O-okay," Lauren answered, walking over to the drawers and grabbing four regular plates and her own.

She took them to Ally and stood next to her. She stared at Ally, before turning to her feet.

"What's up Lo?" Ally asked, turning to the girl.

"You mad?" Lauren asked, looking at the ground.

"Mad about what?"

"Dat I mad?"

Ally shook her head. "No, sweetie, I could never be mad at you. You were right to be mad. I'll never hold it against you?"

"Mommy an' Ma 'oo?"

"Them too. We are proud of you, and we will always be too."

Lauren wrapped her arms around Ally. "I love you."

"We all love you. Now help me get dinner ready, okay?"

Lauren gave Ally a nod. She helped take her own plate to the table. Once everyone was seated, Lauren decided to ask an important question.

"We kiww man'os afder?"

 


	66. Honest Lies

 

The girls were out. Ally and Normani wanted to look for lat minute wedding things, as their wedding was a little less than 20 days away. And with everything that had gone one with Lauren and their trust break, they hadn't had time to deal with their wedding.

Normani placed the candle down before turning to her fiancee. "I can't wait for you to be Mrs. Hamilton."

Ally grinned back as she kissed Normani.

"You two are disgusting," Dinah muttered, shaking her head.

Normani laughed. "Yeah, like you two aren't."

Dinah stuck out her tongue.

Lauren walked over to the girl, a backpack on her. She had wanted to bring Nala, and her mothers allowed her to as long as she kept her safe in the backpack.

"Ready to go?" Camila asked the girl.

Lauren nodded her head.

Ally and Normani paid for what they wanted to buy and the girls started to walk out. But as they started to walk out, an alarm went off.

The group stopped, confused. A security guard walked up to them and asked them to step aside.

The security guard checked the receipt and the bag to see that everything was in order. He then turned to Lauren.

"I'm will have to check that."

Lauren wasn't paying attention. Dinah turned to Lauren.

"Lo, the nice guy wants to check your backpack," Dinah said, giving Lauren a small smile.

Lauren nodded. She took off her backpack and gave it to the security guard. "'awefu' wi' Nala p'ease."

The security guard looked confused. "Okay."

He opened the backpack and took out Nala. He handed it to Lauren who grinned and hugged the lion close. She gave Nala a kiss on the cheek.

The security guard continued to look though the backpack, taking out a car toy that was in there.

"I think we found what's being stolen," he said, showing them the toy.

"Lauren Michelle," Ally scolded, giving the girl a look. "We get we hurt you, but that doesn't give you the right to steal."

"I no s'eal," Lauren responded with a frown. She started to shake her head.

"Explain how the car got into your backpack then," she said, placing her hand on her hip.

"I no do!"

The security guard sighed. "Okay, we caught this. I'll let you guys go, just don't this happen again."

The four women nodded, leading Lauren away. The girl was just cuddling with her stuffed lion.

Lauren was quiet the whole ride. Once they were home, Ally told her to sit at the couch as the adults went to the kitchen.

"What should we do?" Camila asked, frowning.

"She has been good. Maybe time out?"

"Timeout sounds fine," Normani added, looking at Lauren from the kitchen.

"We should talk to her. We can't just give her time out without hearing her side of things," Dinah said.

"That sounds reasonable. Her punishment will be lowered if she tells us the truth."

The four came to an agreement (after what happened with Camila, the four would talk things out. If one didn't agree, they would explain why and see if all four can find a common ground).

The four sat down near Lauren.

"Lauren do you know what happened today?" Ally asked, taking the leadership of what was happening.

Lauren shook her head.

"Do you know what stealing is?"

Lauren nodded her head. "'akin'."

"Yes, you are taking without permission. That car in your bag, that was taking without permission."

"I no pu' dere."

"Then how did it get in there?"

"I no know. Man'os mad I kiww?"

Dinah laughed.

"We'll have to talk about your fascination with death later, but right now we are taking about stealing. Lauren, why did you steal? We would have bought it if you asked," Ally said, looking at the girl.

Lauren let out a sigh. "I no do!"

"Lauren Michelle, we don't raise our voices."

"I no 'ying," Lauren said, her eyes wide.

"Lauren, a toy that we did not pay for was find was found in your bag, how do you explain that?"

"I no know!"

"Until you can tell us the truth, you'll be in time out," Normani told her, "we love you Lo, this is for your own good."

Lauren huffed. She just stomped to the corner.

Ally turned to Dinah. "You are creating a little monster."

"Why me? Mani is sassier than I am!"

Normani smirked. "But she's sweet to me."

Dinah huffed and stomped away.

"Exhibit A," Ally said, walking to the kitchen to get dinner ready.

Normani and Camila looked at each other. "Want to practice dancing?"

Camila frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, but you look like a chicken that lost it's head when you dance."

Camila gasped. She sighed. "Let's go."

Lauren was left alone in the corner, glaring at the wall.

-

"You can come out now," Ally said, but was ignored.

Lauren was standing there, still glaring. She waited until Ally was gone before leaving the corner. She stomped over and grabbed her backpack. She grabbed Nala, gave her a kiss and stuffed her inside the backpack. She snuck into the kitchen and grabbed the cookies on the table and a mango. She walked back to the living room and stuffed them into her backpack. She placed her backpack on her back and started to walk to the front door. She opened the door and started to walk out. She wasn't even at the sidewalk when she heard Ally.

"Where are you going?"

Lauren glared at Ally. "I 'unnin' 'way," she answered, turning.

"Where are you going to go?" Ally asked from the doorway.

""uce's o' 'iaz's 'ome," Lauren answered, looking both sides of the sidewalk.

"Do you know where they live?"

Lauren froze. She did not know where they lived. She groaned, turned and walked back into the house. She heard Ally laugh behind her.

Lauren placed her bag down while Ally called her other mothers. Lauren sat on the couch, arms crossed, glaring at the ground.

"What's going on?" Camila panted, walking in drenched in sweat from her dance practice with Normani.

"Damn Mila, what happened? How much did you do?" Dinah asked, looking at her future wife.

"She just stretched," Normani answered, walking over to Ally. "I pity whoever teaches you dance. Tell them to stay near the hospital at all times."

"Ignoring you, what's going on?" Camila asked again.

Ally turned to Dinah. "Your daughter tried running away, Dinah."

The taller girl started laughing. She laughed and laughed. Soon, Camila and Normani joined in.

"It's not funny," Ally said, giving them a look.

"Ally, out of the four us, you were the one to run away from home after finding out Blue from  _Blue's Clue_  was a girl."

"My life was a lie! Just go talk to Lauren!"

Dinah walked to the living room, laughing. She sat down next to Lauren.

"Lauren, why did you run away?"

Lauren sighed. "You no 'ieve me. I no s'eawl."

"Lauren, how did that toy get into your bag?"

"I no know. I no do i'."

"Lo-"

"Ma, 'ieve me. I no do. I p'omise."

"Do you know it's hard for us to believe you?"

"No."

"That toy was found in  _your_  bag, do you get that part?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and your mother and I did not put it in there. So that only left you."

"I s'ay wi' you."

Dinah nodded her head. "You were with us the whole time."

"I no be bad."

"Lo, you're never bad. You can be a demon, but you'll never be bad."

"You 'ieve me?"

Dinah sighed. "I do. I'll tell your mothers. You can't run away though. Never again, okay?"

"Yes. I p'omise."

"Okay. I love you Lo. And I promise to believe you more often."

"Okay." Lauren reached into her bag and took out a mango.

"Manny die now?" Lauren asked, giving Dinah a small smile.

"We are  _so_  talking about this now because you scare me a little," Dinah muttered, shaking her head.

 


	67. Your Mom

 

Lauren had a plate of mango pieces on her lap.

"Do you know what we are going to talk about?" Normani asked, staring at the girl who's attention was on the mangos.

"No," Lauren said, giggled as she poked a hole in one of them.

"You worry us," Camila said, as Lauren savagely bit a piece mango.

"Why do mangos need to die?" Ally inquired.

Lauren shrugged. "Dey 'ood."

"They have to die because they are good?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

"Lauren," Ally muttered, staring at her daughter.

"Why do you kill your rubber duckies when you take baths?" Dinah tried, handing Normani a napkin to clean Lauren's face with.

Lauren giggled. "Duckies die.

"Why?"

"Why no?"

"She got us there," Camila commented. "Lolo, do you what you're saying when you say die?"

Lauren nodded.

"What happens when things die?"

"Dey be an'els. Dey p'dec' us. Mano's be an'els," Lauren answered, nodding her head. She ate another piece of mango.

"But mangos don't-" Camila was interrupted by Dinah.

"Don't fight her. She'll win. We don't even eat broccoli anymore. We buy them to bury them."

"Fine. This girl is too innocent anyways."

Lauren finished her mangos and smiled. "An'els now."

Ally smiled. "Angels now."

"She still scared me."

-

Dinah woke up sick the next morning. She had a fever and was covered with a sheet of sweat. Camila helped her get to the couch so the other girls could help her feel better.

Camila fluffed a pillow, helping Dinah lay on it. Ally placed a towel on Dinah's forehead. Normani opened the bottle of medicine

Lauren shoved a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth while sitting on the recliner.

"Lo?"

"'allo Ma," Lauren said, eating her ice cream.

"What are you doing?" Dinah asked, rubbing her nose.

"Ice 'weam, wan'?"

"I'm sick Lo," Dinah groaned, "I can't eat ice cream."

Lauren nodded her head. She just continued eating her ice cream while Dinah watched. "I' 'ood Ma."

"Lauren, stop being mean to your Ma," Ally scolded, a small smile on her face.

Lauren shrugged as she continued to eat the ice cream.

-

Dinah was cold. Her body was shivering. She looked at the recliner to see Lauren watching television wrapped up with two blankets.

"Hey, Lo, can I have a blanket?"

Lauren snugged with the blankets. "No."

"Please, I'm so cold."

"No."

Dinah curled up and glared at Lauren. "You're a little shit, you know that right?"

Lauren turned to Dinah. "Yes."

-

"Mama, how say you?" Lauren asked, frowning at her mother.

"You."

"No, i' you."

"Your?"

"Yes."

Ally slowly enunciated the word, as Lauren slowly repeated it. She gave Ally a nod and walked away.

Ally, curious, followed her. She stood at the door way, watching as Lauren got back on the couch and watched television.

"Can you put the volume down?" Dinah asked, walking up from her nap.

"No."

"Where did you learn to be a little shit from?"

Ally was about to reprimand the sick girl, but Lauren's response stopped her.

"Your mom."

Ally couldn't breath. She just laughed, not expecting it.

Dinah laid there, her mouth opened, unsure how to respond.

Lauren just stared at the television.

-

Dinah started to have a coughing fit while Lauren watched. The younger girl got off the recliner and went to the living room. Dinah closed her eyes, feeling pain in her throat.

She opened them to see Lauren holding out a water bottle to Dinah. The sick girl took it and drank some water. She moved to lay back down. Lauren grabbed her extra blanket and covered Dinah with it. She then kissed Dinah's cheek.

"Nigh-nigh."

Dinah smiled and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

-

Camila and Normani entered the house form their dance rehearsal (Normani was still trying to teach Camila, but the girl was too stiff). Dinah was still asleep with Lauren sitting on the ground next to the couch, coloring on the ground.

"What are you doing Lo?" Normani asked, crouching down in front of Lauren.

"Ssh," the young girl shushed, "Ma no fee' 'ood."

"What are you doing?" Normani whispered, smiling at Lauren.

"Fow Ma," Lauren said, showing Normani the drawing she made.

There was a big yellow sun with a smile. Instead of rays, it was releasing hearts. Under the sun was a stick figure with blonde hair and another with brown hair.

"You're making Ma a card?"

"Yes. Ma 'ike i'?"

"I  _know_  she'll love it."

Lauren grinned and continued her drawing. Normani went to help Ally with dinner, which was soup.

Camila sat down next to Lauren and started to draw her own 'Get Well Soon' card.

"Ma, we 'o ma'e 'ing?"

"You know, I think I'm going to make another YouTube video for my followers, you want to join me? Maybe we can sing a song together," Camila suggested.

"Okay." Lauren went back to her drawing.

-

Dinah was feeling better the next morning. Her nose was still stuffy, but she was able to walk around without feeling like the floor was going to swallow her up.

"'eel bedder?" Lauren asked, staring at her mother.

"A lot. Thank you for the card, it made me feel so much better."

Lauren nodded. "Okay."

Lauren turned and walked away. Dinah just laughed and went to brush her teeth and take a cool shower.

Once she was done, she changed and went to the kitchen. Lauren was already sitting down with her breakfast.

Dinah looked down at her pancakes and at the syrup that was close to Lauren.

"Can you pass the syrup?"

Lauren looked from the syrup to Dinah and back. "No."

"Why not?"

"No wan'."

"You were nice to me!"

"You 'eel bedder."

"Not entirely!"

Lauren shrugged as she continued to eat her food.

Dinah sighed reached over to grab the syrup. Lauren pushed the fruits to her mother.

"You are an evil little thing. Where did you get your evilness from?"

"Your mom."

Ally and Normani choked on their food.

Camila laughed so much and fell off her chair.

Dinah shook her head. "You have so much sass. I don't like it."

Lauren looked at Dinah. "I love you."

-

Camila was asleep when she heard a knock on the door. She went to open it. Lauren was standing there, looking nervous.

"What's going on?" Camila asked, yawning.

"Mami, I, I wan', I wanna mee' my b'oder and sis'er."

"Lauren, are you sure?"

Lauren pressed her Nala against her mouth. "'es."

 


	68. Chris and Taylor

 

"Are you sure? You don't have to meet them yet, maybe think about it a little?" Normani tried, looking at the girl.

"Yes. I wan'."

"Lauren, you have to be ready," Dinah told her, rubbing her nose. Although she was better, she still had the sniffles.

"I 'eady. Dey 'amily."

Dinah nodded. "Yeah, but are  _you_  ready?"

Lauren shrugged. "I wan' b'oder an' sis'er."

"You can meet them, we just want you to be mentally ready."

"We have to find them, and that might take a while," Ally told the girl.

Lauren frowned and stared at her lap.

"I actually found them," Normani said, raising her hand. "I talked to Lauren's social worker who was able to talk to her contacts and find them. We've actually met Lauren's brother before."

The other four frowned at Normani.

"Lauren's brother's adoptive parents actually own the candy store we visit and the cashier is Chris."

"What a small world."

-

Christopher "Chris" Diaz, formerly Jauregui, was put up for adoption when he was around two and his sister was around one. Luckily for him, he was not separated from his sister and they were both adopted into the same family. Chris had a great life. He had loving parents. His sister was annoying, but she was family and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. His life was perfect for him, and he liked how it was.

So, when he was told he had another sister who wanted to meet him, he was shocked. He thought it was just him and Taylor. He didn't think there was another person. He never felt the need to search his old family.

But he couldn't say he didn't feel resentment. His sister was kept by his birth parents. They had chose to keep  _her_  and not him, and that made him slightly bitter. Why didn't his birth parents want them?

Chris and Taylor were told that his sister wanted to meet him. He wanted to say no. He really did, but a part of him also wanted to meet her, and that part won. Taylor was all for it, not feeling the same resentment he did.

The candy store had a small seating area for parents to sit while their children searched for candy. The Diaz family decided to close for the day to meet with the Jauregui girl.

Chris clenched his teeth in anger as he waited. He just hoped he didn't explode.

-

"We 'et 'andy?" Lauren asked, gripping Dinah's hand.

"No, your brother works here."

Lauren nodded. "'wis?"

"Chris."

"Him."

Ally knocked on the door. A woman older than them opened it.

"Mrs. Diaz?"

"Is that her?" the woman asked, looking at Lauren.

The four girls nodded while Lauren gave her a shy wave.

Mrs. Diaz moved to let them enter. Dinah held Lauren's hand as they walked in.

At a table was, who they assumed was, Mr. Diaz, Chris and Taylor.

Chris looked angry while Taylor looked excited.

Both of them looked up. Chris frowned, seeing who walked in.

"Lauren? What are you doing here?" He stood up and walked towards them.

Lauren looked at his face before letting go of Dinah's hand and wrapped her arms around the boy.

"B'oder," Lauren muttered.

Normani stared at the boy and saw the conflicting battle within him. She wondered what he was thinking about.

Mrs. Diaz signaled for everyone to sit down, and they did.

Lauren sat down across from Taylor, who smiled at her. Lauren waved back.

"Who are you guys?" Chris asked, frowning as he looked at the women surrounding Lauren.

"We're Lauren's mothers."

"But our birth parents kept her. They wanted her, not us."

Lauren flinched. She shook her head.

"Your birth parents, they weren't good parents. They aren't good people. You guys got off lucky. You probably notice Lauren's delayed speech, her childish nature. Her parents caused that. They made sure Lauren was stunted," Dinah said in a soft voice.

"They did that?" Taylor asked, looking at Lauren.

"Lauren is older, she's seventeen. She was in the house with you guys."

"I don't remember another child," Chris said, a thoughtful look on his face.

"No, she was locked up in the attic."

"How did she get away?"

"She ran away a few months ago. We found her."

Chris turned to Lauren. "I'm sorry."

"No faul, i' okay."

Chris's eyes filled with tears. "When I was younger, I wanted to know about where I came from. Maybe if I tried, I could have saved you earlier."

Lauren reached for his hand. "I 'afe now. I 'appy now."

Chris let out a small laugh. "I may be younger, but I'll be your big brother from now on, okay?"

Lauren grinned. "Yes."

Taylor looked at the four mothers. "You've protected her?"

"Since she came to our lives," Camila told them with a nod.

"Thank you for protecting our sister," she said, giving them a smile.

"You don't have to thank us, we love taking care of Lauren," Dinah responded with a smile.

"You, uh, you  _family_ ," Lauren said, "O'ana."

Taylor jumped up. "Lilo and Stitch!"

"Yes!"

-

"Baseball?"

"No."

"Call of Duty?"

"No."

"Monopoly?"

"No."

"Checkers?"

"No."

"What do you know?"

Lauren shrugged. "No know."

"What's 3 times 3?"

Lauren shook her head.

"Oh," Chris said, frowning a bit. "Well, um."

"We'll teach you," Taylor chipped in.

Lauren smiled, but it wasn't as big anymore. "'ow, uh, 'ow 'ife?"

Chris shrugged. "Can't complain. Mom and Dad love us. I work, saving up for college. I play baseball. Life has been really good. Tay?"

"I'm going to graduate middle school next year. I'm in the honors program."

"You 'mawt?"

Taylor shrugged, a small blush on her face. "Yeah, I guess so."

Lauren nodded. "'ood. I, uh, I 'appy."

"I'm happy too. We get a sister."

Chris wrapped his arms around Lauren. "You have us to protect you now, okay?"

"Okay," Lauren whispered.

"Do you want candy? I'm sure Mom and Dad wouldn't mind letting you have some," Chris offered.

" _No_!" All four of Lauren's mothers exclaimed.

"We do  _not_ giving Lauren candy. We do not need to take a hyper girl home," Ally said, shaking her head.

Chris laughed. His father placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't trust this kid. He used to sneak his sister candy before his baseball practice and left us to handle her."

"Hey, I sell, you guys deal with the aftermath."

-

Lauren watched as Chris and Taylor laughed and joked around. She watched as they were able to get their points across with no problem. She watched as they understood what was going on. She watched as they acted  _normal_.

They  _were_  normal, while she wasn't. She wasn't normal. She wasn't stable. She was damaged. She was messed up. She knew that.

But she could try harder. She could try so much harder.

She could be normal.


	69. Stupid

 

Unfortunately, it took the mothers three incidents before they were really able to do something.

Fortunately, it only took them one incident before noticing something was wrong.

-

_Incident One_

Lauren was the first to wake. Normal people didn't need help from other people to get out of their beds. (Her mothers took the bars off, after they were sure Lauren wouldn't fall off the bed anymore, and she hadn't.)

She went to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl. She grabbed the Lucky Charms and poured in the bowl. That was successful. She opened it and grabbed the milk. She opened it and started to pour it in the bowl. It was going good, before it slipped out of her hands and fell all over the ground.

Lauren's eyes filled with tears.

She was so  _stupid_. She couldn't do something as simple as make cereal. She just ruined everything.

She felt anger. She felt anger and she hurt.

She heard footsteps rushing towards her. She looked up to see her mothers run into the kitchen.

"Are you okay Lo?" Dinah asked.

_No._

Lauren nodded her head, not saying anything. There was nothing she could say.

"Lauren, did you get hurt?"

_Yes._

Lauren shook her head.

"Let's get you clean up, okay?" Normani suggested, slowly reaching for the younger girl to lead her away.

Lauren pulled away. "No. I, I 'earn. I 'eed 'o fi's."

"You need to what?" Ally questioned.

Lauren glared at the ground.

Her mothers didn't even understand her. They had no problem interacting with Chris and Taylor.

"Are you  _sure_  you're okay Lo?" Camila asked, staring at the girl.

_No._

"Yes," Lauren whispered, tears filling her eyes. She stared at the ground, not wanting her mothers to see her.

"Let's go get you cleaned up? Did you brush your teeth?"

Lauren froze.

She had forgotten.

God, she was so  _stupid_.

Lauren followed Normani, her head low.

-

"Something is wrong," was the first thing said when Normani took Lauren to clean her up.

"What do you mean?" Camila asked, frowning.

"That look on her face, it was the same one you had," Dinah told her, looking at, "During that time where you were angry because you felt like you weren't going to amount to anything. She has that same look."

"What do we do? I mean, I get help, do you think it'll work the same with her?"

Ally shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to try. Do some research to see if there is specialist?"

"Someone we will be able to trust," Camila added, because with her career and if things went the way she wanted it to, she had to be careful with who she trusted. If Lauren chose to talk to someone, she didn't want that person to blab to the media and violate the trust.

The other two women nodded, hoping for the best.

-

_Incident Two_

Lauren was sitting on the recliner. She stared at the television as the people in them talked. A Detective Benson and Detective Stabler.

She was trying to make herself understand what was happening, but it was hard. They were using big words, and she didn't know what they meant. She didn't even understand the small words. ' _ADA_ ', what was that?

But her mothers enjoyed this show.

Why couldn't she just understand this? Why did she have to be stupid?

Was that why her birth parents didn't love her?

Lauren closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling down. She turned the television off and stormed to her room.

-

_Incident Three_

Lauren stormed into her room, letting the door hit the wall. She looked around, her eyes connecting with her favorite book,  _Llama Llama, Red Pyjamas_. She loved it when Mami sang it.

She opened the book and sat her bed. She looked at the first page, at the first word. She stared at it, not knowing what it said.

She had heard the song a hundred times, but her  _stupid_  brain couldn't even tell what the first word was.

Lauren grabbed the book and threw it against the wall. Her tears slipping down her face. she let out a scream as she grabbed whatever was on her bed and threw it agains the wall.

"'oopid!" Lauren screamed, her sobs escaping her.

The four mothers rushed into the room, stopping when they saw Lauren start to trash her room in anger.

The girl who was slowly breaking before their eyes.

-

Dinah was the first to break out of her daze when she saw Lauren kick the wall and call herself, "Stupid".

It broke her heart, but she didn't have time to dwell with it.

She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Lauren fought against her as she screamed and cried, but Dinah didn't let go.

"It's okay. Breath Lo, breath. I'm here.  _we're_  here," Dinah whispered into her ear.

Lauren stopped screaming, but didn't stop crying. She let Dinah hold her.

"It's okay Lo, it's okay," Dinah whispered, holding Lauren against her. She moved back until she was able to get on the bed, helping Lauren lay down, not once letting her go.

Camila stormed out of the room, her phone at hand. Dinah mouthed the other two girls for follow her.

Once they were gone, Dinah looked down at Lauren and slowly rocked them. " We're okay. We'll be okay."

-

"We can't help her," Camila said, scrolling on her phone.

"What are you talking about?" Ally asked, frowning at her cousin. Camila wasn't making any sense.

"We can't help her. Like how you guys couldn't help me. We're her mothers, she's not going to take our word. When you told me my music was good, I didn't take your word for it because you loved me and knew what I needed to hear, so it wasn't true, at least not for me."

"And with Lauren-"

"We can tell her she's smart. We can tell her she makes us proud, but none of that matters. What  _we_ say doesn't matter because we are her mothers. Because that's what we  _have_  to say."

"So what are you doing?"

"Talking to someone I didn't know helped me. I was able to get my frustrations out and get an unbiased response to what was going on in my head. I'm going to take Lauren with me to my next session and see if it could help her. I remember Anna telling me Hailee sees someone, I'm hoping that person could also see Lauren. But I want a test run."

Ally nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. You didn't talk to us though."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just, it just came to me. You guys aren't mad, right?"

Normani shook her head. "No. This isn't going to hurt Lauren. It'll be your session right? She won't talk?"

"It'll be all me. She'll just watch. We'll all sit down and talk about it. I was thinking having Hailee talk to Lauren about it too. She knows the therapist."

"It's a really good idea."

Camila smiled and nodded. "I just hope it works."

-

Lauren stared at the redhead sitting in front of her Mami. Camila signaled towards the girl.

"This is my daughter, Lauren. Lolo, this is my doctor, Ed Sheeran."

"Hello Lauren," the man said in an different voice.

"You 'awk funny," Lauren commented, staring at him.

Ed laughed. "Yes, I'm from England, have you heard of it?"

"No. I' nice?"

"Very nice. Hopefully your moms could take you, would you enjoy that?"

"Yes," Lauren said, smiling.

"I'm going to talk to your Mami, is that okay?"

"Why?"

"Sometimes, your mom is feeling really sad or mad, and I help her understand why and how to change things so she doesn't feel like that."

"Okay," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Ed turned to Camila. "So, how have you been since our last session?"

 


	70. Mirrors

 

"Do you know why I took to you to my therapy session?"

"I mee' Eddie?"

Dinah laughed. "No Lo. We wanted you to see how talking about what you are feeling can make you feel better. Your Mami, she talks about her feelings all the time, and because of that, she is feeling better and doesn't get mad anymore."

"I 'wy?"

"If you want. We think it'll help you," Dinah continued.

Lauren shook her head. "I no wan'."

"You don't want to talk about what you feel?"

Lauren shook her head.

"It really helps," another voice added.

They all turned to see Hailee with her mothers.

"Do you, uh, do you mind if I talk to Lauren alone?" Hailee asked, looking at the ground.

Lauren's mothers said yes and told them they could go to Lauren's room.

Once in there, Lauren and Hailee sat side by side.

"You know, when I first moved in with Mommy and Mami, I was always scared. I couldn't even ask for food without being scared they'd hit me. They never did, but I was still scared. Cheri and Peter, my birth parents, they  _hated_  me and they made sure I knew that. And that stayed with me. Even if no one knew, it was there. Just like you, I'd believe I was stupid. I felt like I had nothing going on. And I couldn't talk to my moms about because I knew what they were going to say."

"You 's'and?"

"I do. You're not stupid. I never want to hear you say that, okay?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

"My Mami and Mommy saw that I would just get angry. I'd have to much growing anger in me that needed to be released, and it was coming out, like a volcano. Mami had a friend, Justin Timberlake who worked with kids and people with kid minds, like you and me and Lu. Talking to him made me less angry."

"You bedder?"

"I'm a lot better. I still get angry, but it's not as often as it used to be. But Ren, do you want to try talking to Dr Timberlake? You'd try it once, and if you want, I can be there with you. You don't have to if you don't want to, but talking to a therapist really helped me and Aunt Mila."

"You be wi' me?"

"I won't leave your side."

-

Lauren sat on the couch. Her fingers were running over the clothe. She could feel the man staring at her. It made her slightly comfortable, but feeling Hailee sitting next to her made her feel better.

"I'm Justin," the guy said, smiling.

Lauren looked to her right to see Hailee standing there.

"I, I no 'awk 'igh'," Lauren muttered, staring at the ground.

"That's fine Lauren," Justin said, smiling. "How about you tell me what you like?"

Lauren looked at his face to see his friendly face. "'ike?"

"Yeah, what do you like to do?"

"'waw."

"You like to draw? What do you draw?"

"'ookies an' 'amily an' man'os an' my wi'es an' twees."

"Wives?"

A grin appeared on Lauren's face. "Yes, 'aiz an' 'uce my wi'ves."

"Who proposed?"

"Me," Lauren answered with a proud look on her face. "I, I 'et one knee. I, I say, I say 'Be my p'incesseses' an' dey say 'Yes' an' now wi'es." Lauren was so excited, she started to stumble with her words.

Justin laughed. "That sounds much cooler than what I did."

Lauren nodded. "I did 'ood."

"It was the best," Hailee intersected, smiling.

Lauren reached over and grabbed Hailee's hand.

"I, uh, I 'appy."

"Why?"

"I 'as wi'es. Mami an' Mama an' Ma an' Mommy 'ove me. I 'as 'ome."

"Must be exciting."

"Yes," Lauren said, nodding her head.

"I heard from your mothers about what happened," Justin said, leaning a bit forward. "I'd like to ask about that. But it's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

Lauren sighed. She released Hailee's hand and brought her own hand to her mouth. She bit her nail. "'es."

"Can you tell me?"

"I 'oopid."

"Why do you feel that way?"

Lauren shrugged. "I no 's'and. I no know 'ead."

"You can't read?"

Lauren shook her head. Tears filled her eyes. "I no 'mawt."

"Because you can't do what people your age can, right?"

Lauren nodded, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

Lauren looked at him.

"You  _are_  smart. I heard how loving and friendly you've been. You didn't react the same way others do from what you went through."

"'eally?"

Justin nodded. "Yeah. But there is something I want you to do for me."

Lauren tilted her head.

"I want you to try something new. Read a book every night and see how far you get. Have a full conversation with your mothers. Try something, and next time you see me, tell me all about it and how that made you feel, yeah?"

Lauren looked from Justin to Hailee, back to Justin. "Okay."

-

"So, is there anything we can do with Lauren?" Ally asked, looking at the tall man.

Justin nodded. "Yeah. So, instead of babying her as you have been doing, let her have some independence. Let her do things herself."

Normani turned to Lauren and Hailee who were playing with the blocks (well Lauren was, Hailee was just passing her the blocks and listened to whatever Lauren was saying). "We can do that. She has ask about her own independence."

"Is there anything we should do with her emotional state?" Camila asked, looking at Justin.

"See if there are tells from her anger that has been build up. Explain what her emotions are, and how to deal with them. Try to see if there are triggers, and what you need to be careful with. And I'd like to see her again, twice a week."

The four mothers nodded.

"You're doing a great job with her."

Ally grinned. "Thank you. For everything."

Justin smiled at them. "Just do me a favor?"

"Sure, what?"

"Call Kendrick a troll for me?"


	71. All By Myself

 

Each mother was given a task. Each person was going to do something to help Lauren grow intellectually and have more confidence in herself.

-

**_Dinah_ **

Lauren was trying again. She held the gallon of milk and was pouring it into her bowl of Lucky Charms. The only difference was that Dinah was helping her. Dinah had the fastest reflex and would be able to prevent a disaster from happening.

Once Lauren had poured enough, she placed the milk on the table and giggled. "I did i'!"

Dinah gave her a high five, while Lauren gushed about the fact that she was able to make her own breakfast.

"That is awesome Casper!"

"You, you, uh, you p'oud?" Lauren asked, looking at Dinah with her green eyes.

Dinah smiled. "Super. Soon, you'll be doing things without our help."

Lauren went to her cereal, eating her oats, leaving her marshmallows for last.

Dinah's smile disappeared as her comment hit her.

Lauren wasn't going to be their little girl anymore. And that hurt.

-

"You stick the fork in the jar," Dinah explained, as she demonstrated how to put mayo on bread. Lauren watched with closely, her eyes followed the forks as she nodded and tried to repeat what was being said. "You place it on the bread like this and then you spread it. Now you try."

Lauren grabbed the plastic fork and did as Dinah taught her. She looked up with a grin at Dinah.

"That is great. If it's cold ham, you can do make a sandwich, but if you want to have it cook, you'll have to call me or one of your mothers, okay?"

"Yes," Lauren answered as she spread the mayo on her sandwich.

Dinah turned to the stove to turn the ham on it. She placed the cheese on it and let it melt it for a second before placing it on the mayo covered bread.

Dinah went to get another two pieces of ham to cook, when she sees Lauren making a face on the bread.

Dinah shook her head. "Think about what you want to learn to make, okay?"

Lauren nodded, as she tried to be symmetrical with the face.

"Don't change too much," Dinah whispered, turning back to cook the other pieces of ham.

-

**_Normani_ **

"Let's go get you cleaned up," Normani said, grinning at Lauren.

"I do se'f?" Lauren asked, grabbing her Lion King towel.

"Yes, I'll tell you what to do, but you'll do it yourself."

"Okay. I, uh, 'ean se'f."

Normani shook her head as she watched Lauren to to the restroom with a jump in her step.

Once in the restroom, Lauren undressed while Normani turned the water on for the shower. (Lauren usually had baths, but the girls wanted to teach her how to shower.

"If you want to shower, tell one of us, so we can prepare the water. That'll be the next step, okay?"

"Yes," Lauren said, placing her hand under the shower head. The water was warm, but not too hot. She turned to Normani. "I 'o in?"

Normani helped Lauren into the shower. She moved back and sat on the lid of the toilet.

Normani told Lauren what to do and Lauren did it. When it was time to wash her hair, Normani went to show Lauren which was the shampoo and which was the conditioner.

Lauren shook her head as she turned to Normani. "Done?"

Normani laughed. "You still have shampoo in your head."

"'elp?"

Normani reached forward and started to scrub the shampoo out of Lauren's head.

"Done?" Lauren asked again when Normani stopped scrubbing.

"Done. Now we move on to conditioner."

"Wha' do?" Lauren asked, looking at the bottle.

"It makes your hair soft."

"Okay," Lauren said, handing Normani bottle to be helped with. She started to scrub her hair, with her eyes closed. Normani helped her get under the water and showed her how to scrub her hair.

Once she was done, Normani turned the water off and wrapped Lauren with her towel.

"Next time, you'll do it all by yourself, okay?"

Lauren nodded her head. She followed behind Normani to her bedroom to get dressed.

-

**_Ally_ **

"I no know," Lauren said, shrugging.

" _Don't_."

"Hmm?"

"It's not 'I no know,' it's 'I don't know,'" Ally said, sitting in front of Lauren.

"I don' know?"

"Don' _t_."

"Don'd."

Ally shook her head at the girl.

"Don' _t._ Can you say the 't' sound?"

Lauren shook her head. "No."

Ally enunciated the letter. Lauren repeated after her.

"Now try it,  _don't_."

"Don't."

Lauren just grinned. "P'ease!"

"P _l_ ease."

"P _llll_ ease?"

"Please."

"Please."

"We'll have you talking perfectly in no time."

"Mami, why you love me?"

Ally frowned. "I love you because you are my daughter. I love you because you make me a better person. I love you because you are complete my life in a way I never though was possible."

"I-I 'ood?"

"You are perfect. You'll always be perfect. You are smart, and beautiful, and sweet, and caring. You are everyone someone should be. Look at all the lives you changed. Your moms and I wouldn't be the people we are. Lucy and Hailee wouldn't be the girls they are growing up to be. Because of you, Hailee is getting out of her shell. Because of you, Lucy has two loving fathers and has friends who love her. You did this Lauren.  _You_."

"I love you Mama."

"And we will always love you."

-

**_Camila_ **

Lauren kept the book on her lap. Camila sat on the bed next to her.

"L-llama," Lauren worded out, looking at Camila to see her smile.

"Yeah, what's the next word?"

Lauren turned back to the book.

_R-e-d._

"That is an 'r'," Camila said.

"Rrrr," Lauren sounded out, pointing to the next letter.

"That's an 'e'."

"Eee?"

"In this case, it's 'eh'."

"Eh?"

Camila nodded and pointed to the next letter. "And that is a d."

"Duh."

"Put it together.

"Rrrehduh. Red."

Camila pointed to the next word. "P-y-j-a-m-a. Pyjama."

"Pee-ja-ma," Lauren enunciated, grinning. "Mama, I 'ead!"

"Now say it all together."

"Llama llama, llama llama red pyjama!"

Camila leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You are one smart cookie."

"I no 'ookie," Lauren said, shaking her head.

Camila laughed. "Okay. You are my Smart Lolo."

"Yes."

"Mami, we 'ead 'ion 'ing t'mowwow?"

"We'll read the Lion King tomorrow. It's time for you to go to sleep."

"Nigh _t_ , Mami," Lauren said curling up under the blankets.

"Goodnight," Camila whispered, kissing her daughter's forehead. "Never forget we are really proud of how far you've come."

-

Camila and Dinah were in bed, Camila looking through emails and Dinah had received an email.

"Shit," Dinah muttered, sitting up.

"What?" Camila asked, frowning.

"My mom wants to to spend the day with me and Lauren. She's going to corrupt our child!"


	72. Warned You

 

Normani placed a plate in front of Lauren. "Are you excited?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

"Do you know where you are going?"

"No."

Camila laughed. "You haven't told her?"

Dinah shook her head. "I know my mom. I'm scared."

"You are scared?"

"You know my mom! Watch, when we return, Lauren is going to know new words."

"Stop exaggerating," Ally commented, rolling her eyes.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

-

"We see G'amma Mi'ika?" Lauren asked, turning her attention to Dinah.

"Yeah. She wants to take us shopping."

"Soppin'," Lauren repeated, nodding her head, as if she approved. Dinah rolled her eyes.

"We are here," Dinah told her, parking the car.

"We 'ewe," Lauren repeated once again, unbuckling herself. (Lauren had learned how to unbuckle herself, but she wasn't allowed to exit the car unless someone was there watching her.)

Dinah opened the door and led Lauren to her house. Lauren stared at it.

The front door opened and Milika stood there, a huge grin on her face.

"Lauren!" She exclaimed, opening her arms.

Lauren took off running. "G'amma!"

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "You never greeted me like that."

Milika turned to Dinah. "You were never this adorable."

"This is going to be a bad idea," Dinah muttered, entering the house.

-

Lauren hummed along with the music while Dinah drove. Milika was sitting on the passenger's seat.

"Things turned out good?" Milika asked, turning to Lauren who was looking out the window.

"Yeah. She's seeing a therapist. The girls and I talk about everything before big decisions are made. I think we're stronger," Dinah responded, as she drove.

"That's good. You are so lucky I never saw a sad Lauren," Milika said, turning her attention to the road.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say you're lucky you never found out."

Dinah gasped. "You love her more than me!"

"Of course."

"Yes," Lauren said. "E'ybody wan' me."

"Do you even know what that means?" Dinah asked, looking through the rearview mirror.

Dinah parked the car. "I'll explain when you are older."

"Okay. I 'et ou'?"

"Wait until one of us opens the door," Dinah told her, shaking her head.

Lauren unbuckled herself and waited until someone opened the door for her. Milika and Dinah stood in front of her. Lauren closed the door and went towards Milika.

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "I see how it is."

Lauren grinned, sticking out her tongue.

Milika laughed. "Lauren just loves me more."

"Traitor."

-

Dinah watched as Lauren looked at all the stuffed animals. Milika had told Lauren she would buy her one. Lauren had spent the last twenty minutes looking through all of them to find the perfect one. There was a small section where all the 'maybes' were.

Lauren turned to Milika. "Do you 'ike one?"

Milika pointed to the stuffed fox. Lauren nodded. "Yes. He 'o 'ome wid us?"

"He can come home with us," Milika told the girl, smiling.

Lauren grabbed the fox and hugged it. "I wan' 'im."

"Let's go pay for it," Milika told Lauren, leading her away.

Lauren moved away and went to Dinah who was watching. Lauren hugged the fox with one hand and reached for Dinah's hand with the other, pulling her towards the check out. "We s'ay 'goder."

Dinah smiled at Lauren. "Of course."

-

Lauren looked through her Happy Meal box to find the toy. She took it out and ripped the bag open with her teeth. She started playing with the toy, not giving her food a second thought.

"You have to eat Sweetie," Milika said, moving the toy away from Lauren.

"Okay," the girl responded, taking out her chicken nuggets and started to eat them.

"You have other grandchildren," Dinah said, taking a bite of her burger.

"What do you mean?"

"Lauren has a brother and sister."

"'wis an' 'ay," Lauren told them, grinning.

"Christopher and Taylor. They are her younger siblings."

"Will we meet them?"

"They are invited to the wedding. You'll meet them there," Dinah told the mother.

"Dey mee' my wi'es," Lauren added, shoving nuggets into her mouth.

Dinah nodded her head. "They'll meet the in laws."

Milika laughed. "I remember when you were a child and Camila was your wife."

"And now we are engaged."

Milika nodded her head. "So glad you took your head out of your ass."

"Ass," Lauren repeated, nodding her head.

"Mom!"

Milika shrugged. "I've said worse things around you."

-

"There are somethings Ally wants me to get for the wedding, do you mind taking care of Lauren for a few minutes?"

Milika waved her daughter off. "I'll be fine. I took great care of you."

"You dropped me, five times."

"That was a long time ago and you turned out great."

Dinah shook her head. "I'll be back." She turned and left.

Milika led Lauren to the aisles of clothing. Lauren looked through the shirts, finding some she liked.

"Tell me about your wives."

A grin stretched on Lauren's face. "I love dem. Dey, dey sweed an' dey love me. An' dey p'odec' me. An' dey my p'incessesses. You 'ike dem?"

"I do. They are very nice girls."

Lauren nodded as she looked through the shirts. "'ood. Dey 'aves my babies."

Milika froze, as she looked at Lauren, who was innocently looking at the shirts. "DINAH JANE!"

-

"I 'aves fun," Lauren told her grandmother, a yawn escaping her.

"Me too. I am so glad you are my grandchild.

"Me 'oo," Lauren answered, smiling. She kissed Milika's cheek. She then went to get her things.

Dinah looked at her mother. "Lauren is growing up, and she isn't going to be our little girl anymore."

"No matter what, she'll always be your little girl, just like you'll always be mine."

"Mom-"

"No matter how old Lauren is, she'll always be your little girl. She'll always be your baby."

Dinah didn't say anything. She just wrapped her arms around her mother.

Milika hugged her back. "I don't say this often, but I am proud of you. You are doing a great job with her. It makes me so proud to se what a great mother you are becoming to be."

"I love you," Dinah whispered, hugging tighter.

"I love you too," Milika responded.

Dinah felt someone wrap their arms around the mother and daughter. She looked over to see that Lauren joined in the hugging-fest.

"I love you 'oo."

Dinah pulled the girl into the group. "We love you."

-

Lauren rushed into the house and looked at her other three mothers.

"Mama! You ass!"

Normani and Camila started to laugh.

"Dinah Jane!"

"It wasn't me! My mom taught her!"

Ally scoffed. "Yeah, we're supposed to believe that."

"I warned you!"


	73. I Want You

 

Lucy looked at Camila, Hailee standing behind her.

"She's not here. She went out with Ashley. She should be back in half an hour if you guys want to wait," the woman offered, moving to let them into the house.

Lucy turned to Hailee who gave her a small nod.

"Okay," Lucy said, grabbing Hailee's hand and pulling her into the house. They sat down on the couch.

"Ally and Mani went to deal with wedding stuff, they'll be back later."

"Wh-where did Lauren go?" Hailee asked, drawing patterns on the back of Lucy's hand.

"Ashley wanted to show her something. She should be back soon. Did you guys have plans?"

Lucy shrugged. "We kind of wanted to surprise Lauren with a date."

Camila smiled. "That's cute."

Hailee nodded. "How, uh, how is the music career?"

Blinking a few times, Camila responded. "It's going great. The album should be released be the end of the year, maybe before."

"That's great," Lucy told her.

-

An hour passed when Ashley returned with Lauren.

Hailee had fallen asleep with her head on the couch. Lucy was watching television, running her hand through the sleeping girl's hair.

"'uce! 'aiz!" Lauren exclaimed upon seeing them. Lauren ran to them, before seeing that Hailee was asleep. Lauren stopped and smiling. "'allo. Wha' hewe fow?"

"We wanted to hang out with you," Lucy whispered, smiling at the girl.

"'uce, dis A'ley. A'ley, dis my wi'es 'uce an' 'aiz. 'aiz s'eepin', no wake up, okay?"

"Ashley" nodded, smiling. "Nice to meet you."

Lauren grinned, rushing to the kitchen to greet her mother.

Lucy gently shook Hailee awake. "Hail, Lauren is home."

Hailee groaned, but opened her hazel eyes. She let out a yawn and sat up. She looked around, before looking at Ashley. Hailee gasped, and tried to hide behind Lucy, who let her.

"How do you know Lauren?" Lucy asked, feeling Hailee grab her hand.

"I knew Lauren when she was younger."

Lucy nodded, when Lauren returned with a plate of mangos.

"'aiz! 'allo, wan' a man'o?" she asked, offering Hailee one first. Hailee nodded, reaching out and grabbing one.

Lucy took another.

Lauren moved to sit next to Ashley, alway from her wives, and Lucy didn't like that.

_-_

_Ashley this. Ashley that._

Lucy had it with Ashley. It was all she heard from Lauren.

_Ashley made her pizza. Ashley taught her to talk. Ashley protected her._

Lucy was going to go crazy. She clenched her teeth, as she glared at the woman talking to her (and Hailee's) girlfriend.

"D-do, uh, do you want ice cream?" Hailee asked, drawing an imaginary pattern on the table.

"A'ley 'o 'oo?" Lauren asked, looking at her wives.

Lucy turned to glare at Ashley who wasn't paying attention to them.

"O-okay," Hailee whispered, looking at the table.

Lucy frowned, watched as Lauren grinned.

"Mami, we, uh, we 'et ice 'eam?"

"Stay with Lucy and Hailee, okay?"

Lauren nodded, and grabbed Ashley's hand, pulling her out of the house.

They all piled up in Ashley's car and drove to the ice cream store.

-

The day was a partial disaster (for Hailee and Lucy). Both girls were ignored for Ashley, and neither liked it. They had competed for Lauren's attention and learned their lesson from that, but this time it was different.

At least then, Lauren divided her attention to both girls, but this time, Lauren only paid any attention to Ashley and it made them jealous. Lauren was hanging on to every word Ashley was saying, and she was been sharing their ice cream with them, which had been  _their_  tradition.

Hailee glared at the table. She stayed close to Lucy, not liking the attention she was getting from Ashely, from someone she didn't know.

"Do you want to slip?" Lucy asked, worry in her voice.

Hailee shook her head, but didn't answer.

"It's okay if you want to. I'm still here. I'll stay big."

"I-I stay, w-with you," Hailee muttered, leaning against Lucy.

Lucy smiled and kissed her forehead. Hailee looked at Lauren to see her watching with a look on her face. Lauren gave Hailee a small smile, looking away.

-

Ashley knew Lauren's "wives" weren't happy. She had received a text from Camila saying Lucy and Hailee were very territorial when it came to Lauren. She was told that they had wanted to take Lauren on a date, but weren't happy that their plans had been disrupted.

Ashley only agreed to go out with them to see how they were. She trusted Lauren's mother's instincts, but she wanted to see for herself.

Lucy was glaring any chance she got. And Hailee wouldn't even make eye contact. Ashley wasn't even sure she had heard the girl's voice at all.

"Do you guys want to go for a walk?" Ashley asked, looking at the two other girls.

Lucy looked at Hailee who shrugged, before turning to Lauren.

"Do you to go Laurie?"

Lauren nodded, and they decided to go.

Once at the park, Lauren went directly to the bushes with flowers. She reached over and yanked a few out before going back to Lucy and Hailee. "Fow you."

Hailee grinned (the brightest smile Ashley had ever seen) and Lucy smiled. "Thank you."

"I, uh, I wan' you."

The two other girls frowned. "What?"

"I love you. I sowwy, I i'nowe you. You my fav'ites. You mine. No one 'p'ace you. You, uh, you 'aves my babies."

Lucy started to laugh, shaking her head. She seemed like she could't breath. Hailee started to laugh, and even Ashley couldn't hold it in.

"Do you know what that mean Ren?" Hailee asked, her voice a little louder than a whisper.

Lauren shook her head. "No. Ma says i'."

"You would learn that from Aunt Dinah," Lucy said, shaking her head.

"'uce, 'aiz, you my wi'es, okay?"

Lucy smiled and pecked Lauren's lips. "Okay, you better not have other wives."

Lauren shook her head. "I no 'eat."

Lucy turned to Ashley who was watching. "Sorry for getting in the wrong foot. We just get really protective."

Ashley laughed. "No, I get it. Her mothers were the same. I'm glad you guys are really protective. But does this mean we can be friends?"

Lucy nodded her head. "We can be friend. Just know, tomorrow we are taking Lauren out."

"I wouldn't get in the way of that. But just letting you know, Lauren wouldn't stop talking about you or Hailee. I felt like we were friends."

Lucy grinned. Both women turned to Hailee and Lauren, who were picking more flowers.

"I think we'll be good friends."


	74. Have Fun, But Not Too Much

 

Lauren looked down at the shirt she was wearing. She frowned a bit, before shrugging. "Da'e?"

"Yes, Lucy and Hailee are going to take you out, okay?"

"Okay. I love dem."

Dinah laughed. "They love you too."

"'ood. Ma, Mami 'as yous babies?" Lauren asked, as she smoothed her skirt.

Dinah started to cough. "What?"

"Wha' mean?" Lauren questioned, looking up at her mother.

"I'll tell you when you're older. Let's just get you ready, okay?"

Lauren just shrugged. "Wha we do?"

"It's 'what are we going to do,'" Dinah corrected.

"What we 'oing 'o do?"

"Close enough. It's a surprise. Lauren, Lucy and Hailee told us nothing."

Lauren sighed. "Okay."

"You can wait for them in the living room. We can watch Spongebob."

Lauren grinned and ran to the living room, tripping on her feet.

-

Lucy shook her head. "Do I look okay?"

Shawn nodded, "You look beautiful. Hailee and Lauren will be speechless when they see you."

Lucy blushed. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

"I think it's perfect. It may take Hailee a while, but she'll love it. And Lauren, it's going to be fun."

"I'm nervous. I haven't been this nervous since moving in with you."

Austin laughed. "You should have seen us on our first date. I think I dropped my drink on Shawn."

"And I kind of hit Austin with a plate."

Lucy started to laugh. "This date is going to be better then that."

Austin nodded. "As long as no one ends up hurt, it should be better than ours."

-

Hailee rubbed her hands together. "I'm scared. What if I have a panic attack?"

Brittany wrapped her arms around the girl. "You are going to be great. Lucy is going to make sure you are okay. Lauren will be there with your at all times. I am certain you are going to be okay."

"And if you do have a panic attack, it'll be okay. Your little wives love you and want what is best for you. So if you do have to leave early, just know that you are their priority, okay?" Anna asked, grabbing her hand.

Hailee nodded. "Everything is going to be great."

Anna nodded. "Everything is going to be great. You have grown so much from when you first stepped through that door. We are so proud of you baby."

Brittany pulled her closer. "We love you."

-

Ally smoothed Lauren's hair. "Our little girl is going on her first date," she gushed, grinning.

Lauren shook her head. "Se'ond."

Normani laughed. "Yeah Ally, this is Lauren's second date."

Camila and Dinah were sitting on the couch. The older of the two laughed as well. "I got to see it."

"Don't rub it in."

There was a knock on the door. Lauren tried to open it, but Normani beat her to it. "Lucy, Hailee, don't you two look gorgeous. Come in."

Hailee walked in, giving the older woman a hug. "Hi Aunt Mani, how are you today?"

"I am doing great, and you Ms. Hailee?"

The hazel eyed girl blushed as she looked down. "Good. I'm excited for my first date."

"Se'ond!"

"Second date babe," Lucy whispered, grinning. She turned to Normani. "Hi Aunt Mani."

"Hailee, Lucy, sit down, there are some rules we wanted to discuss," Ally said, pointing to the chair.

"Hi Aunts Ally, Mila, Dinah," both girls said at the same time (they had said that many times, they could do it in harmony). They sat down in front of their aunts, who greeted them back.

"Okay, so Lauren usually goes to bed at ten thirty. So it's be great if you're home by that time. If you are here any later, you two will be sleeping over. We don't want you going home alone too late," Ally said, giving them a smile.

"We can do that," Lucy said, pulling Lauren onto her lap. The younger girl just leaned into her.

"Okay, so have fun, but not too much, okay?"

Hailee and Lucy blushed darkly. Lauren frowned. "No fun?"

Camila laughed, tossing her head back. "We need to protect Lauren's innocence."

-

Lucy parked the car and turned to Hailee. "If it gets too much, just tell us and we'll go do something else, okay?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes. we p'odec' you."

Hailee grinned. "Okay."

Lucy got out of the car and ran to the other side, helping Hailee then Lauren out of the car.

Lucy left Lauren and Hailee in a corner so she could pay for them.

When she returned, she saw Hailee laughing at Lauren's jokes. Lucy helped up the clubs and three different colored golf balls.

Lauren took the black one, Hailee grabbed the green one, leaving Lucy with the blue one.

"Let's go play," Lucy said, grinning.

"No 'oo mush fun," Lauren reminded them, giving them a serious look.

Hailee laughed loudly.

"Aunt Dinah was talking about something else," Lucy told her, a pink tint on her cheeks.

Lauren looked confused, but nodded. "Okay?"

-

Lauren was swinging her club as if she was playing baseball.

"Laurie, you're doing it wrong."

Lauren turned to Lucy with a frown. "No?"

"Can I do it?" Hailee asked, raising her hand and jumping in place.

Lucy let out a laugh. "Go ahead."

Hailee lead Lauren to the starting position of the course and stood behind her. She wrapped her arms around her and taught Lauren in the cliche way (which Lucy had done with her).

Hailee helped Lauren hit the black ball and watched as it made it into the hole.

Lucy frowned. "How did that, wait, okay that was luck."

The girls played while Lucy kept score.

Lucy calculated for every possible way to make it a Hole-in-One. Hailee tried her hardest to get her ball into it's target. Lauren would just hit.

Lauren was winning, followed by Hailee and then Lucy was in last place.

Lucy did not know how that happened.

They were in the last hole.

Lucy hit the ball, and it went into the entrance with a three on top of it. Hailee's golf ball entered that hole as well.

Lauren placed her golf ball on the ground, and swung her club. The ball entered the hole with a one over it.

Lucy stared with an opened mouth.

Hailee reached over and closed her mouth. "So who won?"

Lucy huffed. "Lauren."

The younger of the three cheered. Hailee laughed and hugged her.

Lucy shook her head. "I chose this because I thought I was going to win."

Hailee laughed even harder. "Really? And you lost?"

Lucy glared. "Shut up."

-

The girls went to get some dinner at a burger joint.

"F'y?" Lauren offered Lucy a fry.

"I have my one Laurie," Lucy told her, giving her a smile.

"I'll take it Ren," Hailee said, taking the fry, her own food gone.

Lauren smiled as she went to her own food.

"We 'aves weddin'?" Lauren asked, frowning.

"When we are older," Lucy told the girl.

"'ow o'd?" Lauren questioned, tilting her head.

Hailee shrugged. "When the time is old, but we have to be older."

"Okay," Lauren responded, turning her attention to her food.

"Wi'es fowe'er?"

"We'll be your wives forever. You're stuck with us Lauren."

"'ood. Dat 'ood."

Both Hailee and Lucy kissed Lauren's cheeks. "We love you."

"I love you."

-

Lucy, Hailee and Lauren were at Lauren's front door.

"I 'aves fun, bu' no' 'oo mush," Lauren said grinning.

Hailee covered her mouth as she giggled. "I have fun too."

Lucy just smirked.

"Nigh'?"

Lucy nodded. "Goodnight." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Lauren's. "I'll see you again my love."

Lauren perked up. "My love."

"You are the most adorable person I have ever met," Hailee told her, grinning. She also leaned forward and kissed Lauren's lips.

"You 'oo my loves."

The front door opened and all four of Lauren's mothers standing there.

"Lauren, girls," Ally said with a smile, "did you have fun?"

"No 'oo mush," Lauren told them with a serious face.

Dinah started to laugh.

"As much as we wish to stay, I have to get Hail home," Lucy said, before both girls told each person goodbye.

Hailee followed Lucy to her car.

"Can you fall even more in love with people?" Hailee asked sitting on the passenger seat.

"I think so, why?"

"Because I fall even more in love with you and Lauren every day.


	75. Echoing Currents

****"Demi called, she asked if we could meet her at her house," Ally told the others, who were sitting in the living room.

"Lauren's doctor?" Austin asked, frowning,

"Yeah, she said something about needing to know about Lauren," she responded.

"Does that mean everyone goes?" Camila asked, pointing to the three girls (Lucy and Hailee slipped and were playing with Lauren's blocks) and the parents.

"I guess we're all going," Normani said, shrugging.

-

Lauren frowned, seeing two new girls. She could feel Hailee hiding behind her.

"This is Sydney and that is Chrissy," Selena said, pointing to the two girls who were curled up together. 

"'allo," Lauren said, waving.

Both girls turned to her, but neither of them looked at Lauren.

Camila looked at Demi. "Did you adopt them?"

Selena shook her head. "We are their foster mothers, but that's the plan."

"'lena?" Sydney called out, reaching for the woman. Selena went to sit down next to her.

"Are they like Lo?" Dinah asked, watching as Sydney curled up against Selena.

Demi nodded. "They are more like Hailee and Lucy. They have both big and little versions."

"Lo, why don't you, Hailee and Lucy go play?"

"'ydney and 'issy 'ome 'oo?" Lauren asked, pointing to the two girls.

"Why don't you go ask?" Ally asked, while Anna, Brittany and Normani pulled Hailee away.

"Are you okay with that?" Normani asked, as she looked at the girl that had warmed her way into her heart.

"I-I be wit Wenny and Lu," Hailee said, looking at her feet.

"We are here, let us know when you want a break, okay?" Anna said.

Hailee nodded. "Tank you. I-I be wit my wives. Dey keep me safe."

Anna kissed Hailee's cheek. "Go. Just keep an eye on your self okay?"

"Yes, I take bweak when it too much," Hailee told them, before turning to walking into Lucy's waiting arms. Lauren was talking quietly to both Sydney and Chrissy, offering them her hand to take.

"She's really good with them," Demi commented, watching closely.

"She's clueless and a little shit most of the time, but she really does know how to make people comfortable around her, it's how she got to Hailee and Lucy."

Sydney took Lauren's hand before helping Chrissy up and to the corner of the room where toys were scattered around.

-

"It was a few weeks ago, and it was late. I was working, when Sydney walked in, holding Chrissy up. The girl could barely stand, drunk out of her mind. It took me a while before I could get anything out of them. Both are sixteen. They aren't real sisters, but have stuck together since they were kids. They didn't have any family left and have been in foster cares for a few years. And you guys know those aren't that great. Chrissy, who is older, protects Sydney from any beating, but it has led to a small drinking problem. We believe she started to numb the pain. We are trying to get rid of it, and with Sydney's help, I think we can kick it," Demi told them, her eyes on the girls.

Sydney was smiling and playing with Lucy and Lauren (Selena and Demi went and got a few toys after they noticed Sydney, and Chrissy but she wouldn't admit it, staring longly at them). Hailee was watching, not wanting to interact with the two new girls yet (she wanted to, but she couldn't) and Chrissy was just silently watching, leaning against Sydney.

"And we wanted to know how to get them to regress. It seems like they want to, but are unable to," Selena added, turning to the parents.

"As much as we would love to help you, I think Anna and Britt are the ones who can answer you. Mahone and I got Lucy when she already had a little. All we had to do was show her that we wanted to take care of her," Shawn said, his eyes on his daughter.

"And you know Lauren's story and the fact that she was already mentally little," Dinah said, shrugging.

"You have to watch out for little things, verbal cues, what they watch, what they like, how they are when they sleep. You can't spring it on them all of a suddenly. Just start small. It took us a few months before we got Hailee to fully regress," Brittany told them.

"Get them something, a safety net. We got Hailee a teddy bear that she'd take everywhere. She wouldn't sleep without it, even if she wasn't little."

Demi nodded. She reached over and grabbed Selena's hand. "We want to help them."

Camila smiled at them. "Be there for them, let them be who they want to be. That's the best you can do."

-

"Wan' p'ay?" Lauren asked, handing Chrissy a toy.

Chrissy shook her head, her fingers drumming against her legs.

"You okay?" a small voice asked from her side. Chrissy looked over at the girl who said that. She frowning as she stared at Hailee, who wouldn't look back at her.

"Fine."

"Don't be mean," Sydney whispered, shaking her head.

"Sorry," Chrissy whispered, turning back to Lauren. "I don' want to play."

Lauren tilted her head. Her green eyes staring into her own. "Why?"

"Cause I don't want to. 'm not a child," Chrissy snapped, glaring at the girls.

Lauren frowned, staring at her.

"Don't be mean to her," Lucy told her, pulling Lauren so she was leaning against her.

"Chrissy, do you want to sleep?" Sydney asked softly, grabbing her hand.

"Please?" Chrissy whispered, staring at the ground.

Sydney nodded. The older of the two moved to lay down on the ground, her head on Sydney's lap. It didn't take long to fall asleep.

"Sorry," Sydney told the other girls when she was sure Chrissy was sleep, "she's not really mean. She just doesn't like new people."

Lucy clenched her teeth, as she looked at Lauren, who had gone back to playing with the toys, and Hailee, who was watching them. She took a deep breath before nodding. "I get it. Hopefully we can help you guys. Hailee and I know."

Sydney, who was running her hand through her sister's hair, nodded. "That'd be great."

"P'ay?" Lauren asked, offering Sydney the toy.

The girl smiled and nodded.

Hailee slowly inched forward, grabbing one of the toys. "We're here."

Sydney smiled, tears in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "Thank you."

"We'ome," Lauren responded, trying to make a tower with the blocks.

Sydney turned to look at Demi and Selena, to find them watching her with a smile. Sydney turned away, more tears in her eyes.

In all her years, Sydney didn't remember ever feeling important (except to Chrissy). She never felt so loved by people she didn't even know. She hoped she could stay with Demi and Selena. She hoped the two girls found their forever homes.


	76. En Espanol

 

"G'amma day?" Lauren asked, looking at Camila.

Camila grinned. "Yes, Grandma Sinu heard you spend the day with Grandma Milika and got jealous. She wants to spend the day with you."

"E'ybody wan's me?"

Camila shook her head. "You are the most cocky person I've met. Almost everyone wants you."

(Almost, everyone who had met Lauren seemed to enjoy having her around, everyone except Jacob, Blake and Chrissy, the latter who seemed to not like anyone except her sister, Demi and Selena. No one faulted her, given her past. But they hoped that changed.)

"Okay. I 'et 'eady?"

"Go pick out what you want to wear."

-

Upon seeing Sinu, Lauren wrapped her arms around her grandmother.

"'allo."

"Hola."

Lauren stared at her grandmother in confusion. "'allo."

"Si, hola," Sinu repeated, grinning at Lauren.

The younger girl groaned. "Mami, no 's'and!"

Camila laughed as she shook her head. "Hola is hello in Spanish Lo."

Lauren let out a sigh, as if she was tired of repeating herself. "I no know  _spanis_  Mami," Lauren told her, shaking her head.

"Would you like to learn?" Sinu asked, smiling down at the girl.

"Yes please," Lauren said, grinning.

"Si por favor," Sinu told her.

"Si po' fa'or," Lauren repeated, a small frown on her face.

"Me llamo Lauren," Sinu told the girl.

"Me 'amo 'auwen," the younger girl said, grinning.

"Close enough, how about we go eat some Cuban food," Sinu offered, looking at her daughter.

Camila nodded, "Okay."

-

"So things turned out well," Sinu questioned, as the three females sat around the table. Lauren was looking through the menu as she always did.

"Yeah, things are better. We talk more. And I got a few songs out of it," Camila told her.

"Que quieres Lauren?" Sinu asked, turning to Lauren.

"You do know that just because you offered to teach her, it doesn't mean she automatically understands Spanish, right?"

Sinu rolled her eyes. "Ya se."

Camila laughed. "So you know what you want Lo?"

Lauren nodded and pointed to a picture.

The waiter came by and took their order. Once he was gone, Sinu turned to Lauren. "I'm Abuela."

"'bue'a?"

" _A_ bue _l_ a," Sinu emphasized the missed letters.

"Abuela?"

Sinu grinned. "Yes, I'm Abuela. And Alejandro is Abuelo."

Lauren nodded. "Abuela, abuelo."

"You'll be speaking Spanish in no time."

"Si, spanis in no 'ime," Lauren said, grinning. "I 'awk spanis Mami. I smawter dan Ma."

Camila shook her head and turned to her mother. "Lauren here has a small rivalry with Dinah. It's cute to watch."

"Ma 'o down," Lauren muttered, turning her attention to the restaurant.

"Her attention span is short, isn't it?"

"We're working on teaching her things, help her have some independence. She's seeing a therapist."

"Is it helping?"

"It is. She's not calling herself stupid anymore," Camila said, the image of Lauren's breakdown still stuck in her head.

"We talking about your relationship, how is her relationship with her other mothers?"

"That's going good. It's pretty much back to where it was. And still getting stronger."

"That's good to hear. You have a great family, and I think it can get passed anything. Lauren was lucky to have found you girls."

Camila shook her head. "No, we were the lucky ones."

-

"I was planning to plant today, would you like to help me?"

"Si!" Lauren exclaimed, grinning. "We p'an' liddle twees?"

"We'll plant all the little trees you want," Sinu told her.

Camila sighed, before nodding. "Alright then."

Sinu and Camila got the gardening tools. Camila went into her old room and grabbed some old clothes for herself and Lauren. Once they were both dressed, Camila led her to the front yard where they started to garden.

Lauren had much more fun digging holes.

"Me pasas las semias?" Sinu asked, extending her hand.

Lauren looked from her grandmother to her mother. "She's asking to pass the seeds."

"Si," Lauren said, grabbing the seeds and handing the small bag to her grandmother.

"Gracias."

Lauren looks at her mother. "She said thank you."

""acias?"

" _Gracias_."

"'wacias," Lauren tried, frowning.

"She has the biggest trouble with gs. It's something we'll work on when we get home," Camila told her mother.

Sinu nodded. "I think Spanish will help Lauren. Your first language was Spanish."

"I remember," Camila responded. "And I plan to teach Lauren more Spanish."

"Si, spanis," Lauren said, digging a hole somewhere else.

"I'm not going to forget where I came from Mami."

"Just making sure. Familia es todo."

"I know it is."

-

Camila had gone inside the house to get some water, leaving Sinu and Lauren alone.

"Hijo de puta," Sinu muttered, as she stared at the fallen seeds.

Lauren tilted her head. "Abeula, wha' pu'a mean?"

" _Puta_  sweetie."

"Puta?"

"That's right," Sinu said, before freezing. It took her a while, but she realized what she had done. "Don't repeat that, Lauren, that's a bad word."

"Bad wo'd?"

"Yes, don't tell your Mami okay? Promise me?"

"I p'omise. No 'ell Mami."

Sinu grinned. "How about we finish gardening?"

"Si," Lauren said, a huge smile on her face.

Camila walked out holding a few bags. "What's going on here?"

"Nada," Lauren told her, grabbing the flowers that they had planned to plant.

Sinu caught Camila's eye and looked away.

She was not going to be blamed for Lauren's potty mouth.

-

"We p'an' mowe?" Lauren asked, as she stood next to her mother.

"We'll plant soon. And I will see you at the wedding," Sinu said, pulling the girl into her arms. "I know you are growing, but don't grow too fast."

Lauren pulled back and kissed Sinu's cheek. "Love you Abuela."

"I love you too Lauren Michelle. I will see you soon okay?"

"Si, soon."

Camila walked towards her. "You do know you have two daughters, right?"

"But you're old."

"Ignoring the fact that  _you_  called  _me_  old, you do remember Sofi is thirteen."

Sinu sighed. "Don't remind me. Soon, she'll be talking about boys and I'm not ready for that."

Camila laughed. "Yeah, Lauren is pretty much married. I think the in-laws want to meet the wives."

Sinu laughed. She wrapped her arms around her oldest daughter. "I miss having you around. Don't forget to visit, okay?"

Camila nodded, having missed her mother too. "I'll visit again."

"Bye Abuela."

"Bye Lauren, Camila."

Camila lead Lauren to the car and with a last goodbye, drove home.

Once in the house, Lauren ran to the living room, where Dinah was. She stared at Dinah, waiting until Dinah gave her attention. "What is it?"

Lauren smiled at Dinah. "Puta."

"Camila! What did your mom teach her?! And why did  _I_  get cursed out?"

 


	77. In Laws

 

Taylor found out she had a big sister. That was great. But her big sister was mentally younger. And that was weird. But Lauren was her sister, and Taylor was going to love her because she was family.

But she was told Lauren had two girlfriends. Taylor wasn't sure if Lauren knew what girlfriends were, but Taylor knew she had to meet them. She had to approve of Lauren's girlfriends.

-

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" Lucy asked, frowning. She turned to Hailee who was sitting next to her, fidgeting with her hands. "Did you know about this?"

Hailee looked to her hands. "Y-yes."

"So I'm the last one to know? That's not fair, Lauren is  _my_  girlfriend too."

"S-sorry," Hailee whispered, rubbing her hands together.

Lucy sighed. "No. It's okay. I just don't like things being kept from me."

"I-I didn't m-mean to k-keep it from you," Hailee told her, pressing her hands against her thighs.

Watching her, Lucy could see the nervousness and fear on the girl's face.

"I'm not mad. I just, I can't deal with secrets being kept from me," Lucy told her, reaching over and grabbing Hailee's hand.

""I' okay?" Lauren asked, poking her head from the kitchen.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Get over here you Cookie Vampire."

Lauren grinned. She ran to the couch and sat down in between Lucy and Hailee.

"Mee' b'oder and sis'er?"

"Wh-what if they don't like us?" Hailee asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Lauren reached over and grabbed Hailee's hand. "You my wi'es. I love you. Dey don' ma'er."

"Th-they are your family, they matter," Hailee inserted, her hazel eyes connecting with Lauren's.

"You 'amily 'oo," Lauren responded, a small frown on her face.

Hailee smiled and kissed Lauren's lips.

The younger girl grinned. She turned to Lucy and frowned. "'iss me 'oo."

Lucy turned to look at the parents (who were watching/doing their own thing. They didn't want to get too involved, as Lucy and Hailee and by extend Lauren, should deal with their relationships when they were big).

"Lauren is so demanding," she told the adults in the room.

Normani smirked. "She gets that from Ally."

Lucy laughed, shaking her head, she turned to Lauren who was still waiting. Lucy rolled her eyes and kissed Lauren.

The young girl grinned. She turned to look at Dinah.

"This is going to be good," Camila muttered, waiting for whatever Lauren was going to say. (Her little one-liners were the best and they did wonder where Lauren learned many of the things she said. They mostly came from television or Dinah.)

Lauren leaned back against the couch and wrapped her arms around Hailee and Lucy, pulling them towards her. "My bishes."

Silence.

"Lauren Michelle! Corner!" Ally exclaimed, pointing to the corner of the room.

Lauren sighed and went to where her mother told her to go.

Dinah raised her hands. "I never call Camila my bitch!"

"Dinah Jane." Ally pointed to another corner.

The girl sighed and went to the corner.

Hailee was giggling next to Lucy. The younger of the two turned to her. "You feel better?"

Hailee nodded, a grin on her face.

Lucy turned to look at Lauren, who was watching with a small smile. She turned to face the walls.

Lucy shook her head. "That sneaky little girl," she muttered to herself. She pulled Hailee into her arms. Louder, she addressed the adults. "So when are we meeting Chris and Taylor?"

-

Hailee could feel them staring, but she couldn't look at them. She didn't know them and she didn't trust them. They had to power to make her lose Lauren, and she didn't know what she would do if that happened.

"So you're Lauren's girlfriends?" Taylor asked, sitting across from them.

All the adults sat away from them, letting the siblings and two other girls bond.

"Yeah," Lucy said, her voice stronger than Hailee's ever would have been.

Lauren reached over and grabbed Hailee's hand.

"Do you love her?" Chris asked, his voice hard.

Hailee stole a peak and saw him staring at her. She looked away.

"We do. We do what we can to protect her," Lucy responded, grabbing Hailee's other hand.

"No. I p'odec' dem," Lauren said, grinning at everyone. "Dey my p'incessesses."

Hailee smiled at Lauren, who had the biggest smile on her face.

"Well Laur, your girlfriends are hot," Chris said, a smirk on his face.

Lauren glared at him. "No. Dey mine."

Chris raised his hands. "I know. I'm just saying, you know how to chose them."

Lauren continued to glare.

"Are you like Lauren?" Taylor asked.

Hailee turned to her, seeing nothing but curiosity on her face. Her eyes wide, filled with innocence. No judgement on her face. Looking at her was like looking at Lauren. And looking at Lauren was always safe.

"K-kind of," Hailee whispered, flinching with both Taylor and Chris turned their attention onto her. "W-we have, we have little s-sel-elves, t-to deal w-with things."

Lucy gave her a proud smile.

"What things?" Taylor asked, tilting her head.

"Taylor," Chris scolded, before turning to Hailee, giving her a soft smile. "You don't have to tell us."

Hailee released both hands and brought them together. She rubbed her hands together. "I, uh, my f-first mom and dad, th-they hated me. Th-they treated me like dirt since I was born," Hailee whispered, her voice getting stronger as she went on, "they'd hit me any change they got. They were so mean to me. My Mommy and Mami found me, in the middle of a beating. I-I can't deal with strangers. I-I can't deal with people I don't know being around me. Being Little, i-it lets me deal with what I went through, and know how it feels to be taken cared of."

"But you're with us," Chris commented, frowning.

"Y-you wanted to meet us for Lauren."

Taylor grinned. "You're doing something you don't like for Lauren. I approve. Lauren, marry them please."

Hailee let out a small laugh. She could feel tears in her eyes. Lauren and Lucy grabbed her hands.

"I uh, I p'oposed," Lauren told them, grinning.

Shawn stood up from his chair. "We have the video, do you guys want to see it?"

Dinah groaned. "Oh my god."

The adults laughed, while Shawn took out his phone to show Taylor and Chris.

Brittany grinned. "It was cute. I wish Hailee was there when Anna proposed to me."

Austin smirked. "We get to have Lucy."

"Have you or Shawn talked about it?" Anna asked, tilting her head.

Austin shrugged. "We know we'll get married one day. It's a game on who gets there first, but we are content where we are right now."

Hailee smiled, hearing that. Everyone in that room was her family, even Chris and Taylor. If/when she got married with Lauren and Lucy, those two would become her in laws.

Taylor cooed at the video. She looked up at the three girls sitting in front of her. "Lo, that was so adorable."

Lauren beamed at that. "Yes. I mawwy dem. Dey my wi'es."

Chris smiled, his eyes connecting with Hailee's. "I can't wait to be a part of the wedding."

Hailee smiled back. She leaned back and curled against Lauren.

Lucy kissed both their cheeks before going to her fathers to ask about the ice cream.

Lauren kissed Hailee's head (the similar way Lucy had when they were having ice cream with Ashley a few days prior). "I love you."

Hailee looked up at Lauren. "I love you too."


	78. Uncles

 

Ally and Normani's wedding was getting closer. A few days away, and they had to prepare things. They, as anyone else, wanted their wedding to be perfect.

There was a lot to be done. They couldn't take Lauren, so they asked Shawn and Austin if they could babysit. The men took said yes, after all the times the four mothers took care of Lucy, they'd be happy to return the gesture.

-

Shawn hugged Camila. "We'll take care of her. We've been taking care of Lucy these last few months. We know what we are doing."

Camila grinned. "Yeah, well I'm shocked you haven't messed her up yet."

"I find offense to that!" Austin interjected, giving Lauren a piggyback ride.

Lauren giggled, her arms wrapped around Austin's neck and had her chin on his shoulder.

"Go say bye to your mothers," Shawn said, signaling for Lauren to get off of Austin's back.

Once her feet touched the ground, Lauren ran into Dinah's arms.

"Bye Ma," Lauren said, kissing Dinah's cheek.

"Be good, okay?" Dinah told her, smirking.

"Yes, be bad," Lauren responded, rushing to hug Camila. "Bye Mami."

"Annoy Shawn and Austin."

"Yes Mami," Lauren told her, giving her kiss on the cheek and walking to Ally. "I be 'ood Mama."

Ally rolled her eyes. "I know baby."

Lauren moved onto Normani and grinned. She walked into her arm. "Be 'ood Mommy."

"I will be good for you."

"Yay," Lauren whispered, kissing her cheek. She then took a step back and grabbed Lucy's hand who was watching.

"Bye."

"Well I know when I'm not wanted," Dinah said, narrowing her eyes to her daughter.

Lauren stared back. "Yes."

Dinah tossed her head back and laughed.

"Love you Ma."

"I love you too Casper."

-

"Wha' we do?" Lauren asked, looking at the weirdly shaped ball. She looked up at Lucy and her fathers.

"We wun to goals," Lucy answered, pointing the to small goals they had created.

Shawn and Austin then went on to try and explain football to Lauren (using football terms), who just frowned.

"Okay," Lauren said, nodding her head, even though Lucy was sure Lauren understood nothing.

Austin sighed. "When I give you the ball, you just run until you pass those trashcans. Don't let Shawn or Lucy touch you, okay?"

"'un. Okay."

Austin faced Shawn and Lucy. "We are ready."

He grabbed the football from Lauren and crouched down. Watching him, Lauren did the same.

"Ready, hike!" Austin gave Lauren the ball and the girl took off. She was able to keep Shawn from touching her and was able to evade Lucy with no problem. Lauren ran passed the trash can and turned to face Austin.

"Win?"

"We got the points!"

Shawn glared. "These are the only points you'll get."

-

_Thirty Points Later_

"Can we take a break? Lauren and I are tired of winning," Austin gloated, a smirk on his face.

Lauren was panting, as she sat on the ground, tired from all the running.

Lucy went to sit next to her. "Tiwed Lo?"

"Yes. 'ood?"

"Daddy, we wan' food," Lucy told Austin, who was still rubbing his win on Shawn's face.

"We'll start to make the burgers," Shawn told the girls.

Lauren just laid back against the grass and looked at the sky.

"Havin' fun?" Lucy asked, turning to look at Lauren.

"Yes."

"You look pwetty today," Lucy said, turning to her side so she could face Lauren.

"'anks. You 'oo."

Lucy reached over and kissed Lauren's cheek. She moved so she could lay her head on Lauren's shoulder and interlocked their fingers.

"I love you," Lauren whispered, her eyes on the sky.

Lucy looked up at her, a smile on her face. "I love you too."

-

Lauren bit into her hamburger while she watched Austin and Shawn prepare their burgers.

"Will want another one Lauren?" Shawn asked, looking up at the girl.

"Yes please," Lauren told him, grinning.

She watched as Austin prepared her food. They were all sitting around the table. She grinned at the men.

"Are you excited for the wedding?" Shawn asked, looking at Lauren.

"Yes?"

"Do you know what a wedding is?" Shawn questioned, smirking.

"No."

"A wedding is when two people become one," Austin told her, smiling.

Lauren's eyes widened. "Mommy and Mama be one?"

Shawn shook her head. "No. It think you should talk to your mothers about it. It's something they can explain better than we can, kind of like sex."

Lucy's cheeks reddened.

Lauren frowned. "Wha's ses?"

"It's something you shouldn't do with someone unless you really love them," Austin said, a small pink tint on his cheeks.

"I love 'ucy. I ses wit 'er?"

Shawn choked on the soda he decided to drink at that moment.

"How about we get ice cream when we finish our food, huh?"

Lauren grinned. "Ice 'weam an' 'ookies?"

Shawn and Austin nodded. "All the ice cream and cookies you can have."

Lucy just went to eat her food, not wanting to get in trouble when Lauren's mothers found out.

(For some reason, Lauren was learning new things when she was without her mothers.)

-

Lauren ate her ice cream while her two babysitters shared theirs. She watched as the two men acted like a couple, feeding each other. She turned to Lucy, who seemed embarrassed.

Lauren got a spoonful and offered it to Lucy. The older girl laughed and let Lauren fed her the spoonful.

Lauren grinned, looking proud.

Lucy just laughed.

"Love you Lauwie."

-

Lauren's mothers grinned upon seeing Lauren. The girl was asleep, Shawn was carrying her.

"How was she?" Ally asked, as Dinah took the girl from Shawn.

Lauren muttered to herself  as she got herself comfortable in Dinah's arms.

"She was an angel. If you ever want her off your hands, we're always opened," Austin said, his arm around his own daughter.

"Daddy and Papi telled Lauren 'bout sex," Lucy told the women, a grin on her face.

Camila glared at the men. She reached for the broom that they kept near the entrance. "Dinah, take Lo to her room."

Dinah laughed. "Good luck." She took Lauren to bed.

Camila raised the broom while Normani pulled Lucy away.

"Ow!"

"Damn it Mila stop it!"

"We're sorry!"

"She's going to ask about it some time!"

"I want my mommy!"

Ally turned to Normani. "I get Lauren tomorrow. My mom wants to hang out with her."

"My mom wants her the day after." She turned to Camila, Shawn and Austin. "Should we stop her?"

Ally shook her head. "No. It's fun."

Lucy giggled, as the women watched Camila beat Austin and Shawn with a broom.

There were things Lauren shouldn't know yet.


	79. Taco Love

 

"Tacos," Ally pronounced, a grin on her face.

Lauren frowned, " _'acos_?"

"So when we meet my mom, what are you going to say?"

"G'amma Paddy, we 'aves 'acos?" Lauren said, her mother preparing her.

Ally grinned. "Great."

Lauren giggled.

"Are you two ready?" Normani asked, as she walked into her bedroom, where Lauren and Ally were.

"Si," Lauren responded, grinning. She was sitting on Ally and Normani's bed.

Normani kissed the top of her bed. "Be good to Grandma Patricia."

Lauren giggled. "Okay."

Normani rolled her eyes at the hyper child. She turned to Ally. She pulled her close. "So we have two more days before  _you_  become Mrs. Hamilton. How are you feeling?"

Ally blushed, looking up at Normani. "Like I'm at the top of the world. I can't wait until I can you my wife."

"I 'aves wi'es," Lauren interjected, a smile on her face. "I 'aves 'wo."

Normani rolled her eyes with good nature. Ally kissed her cheeks before turning to Lauren. "Ready to go?"

Lauren nodded her head. "We 'o 'ow?"

"Let's go visit my mother," Ally said, grinning.

"An' 'acos."

"My mother and tacos. Man, I love tacos."

-

Patricia wrapped her arms around Lauren.

(Lauren was really excited. Her last two grandmothers taught her new words to tease her Ma or to get her in trouble. She just had to really pay attention to her grandmother.)

"How are you doing?" Patricia asked, not having been able to talk to Ally since that one phone call.

"I 'ood G'amma," Lauren said, giving Patricia a huge grin.

Patricia grinned. She looked at the girl.

"So Lauren, what do  _you_  want to do?"

"Mama wan' 'acos," Lauren said, pointing to Ally.

Ally narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"Mama as' me 'oo as'ed you 'bou' 'acos," Lauren said, giving her grandmother an innocent smile.

"Does she enjoy selling you guys out?" Patricia asked, looking at Ally who was shaking her head.

"Mostly Dinah, but she loves getting us in trouble," Ally responded.

Patricia's shirt was pulled. She turned to Lauren, to see her looking at her with big green eyes. "I wan' 'acos 'oo," Lauren told her, giving her a smile.

Patricia laughed. "Let's go get tacos."

Lauren clapped. She grabbed both mothers' hands and pulled them to the car.

"Someone is excited for tacos."

-

Lauren ate her taco while keeping an ear on her grandmother and mother. Thus far, she had heard nothing worthy of calling her mother. She was pretty disappointed.

"Have you decided on the honeymoon?" Patricia asked, looking at Ally.

Lauren grabbed a taco and bit into it as she watched the women talk.

"A little. But I think our wedding plans are changing. We don't know for certain," Ally told her, smiling.

"What do you mean?"

Ally shrugged. "Dinah hasn't told me for sure. It's a maybe. We'll find out at the wedding."

"My little girl is growing up," Patricia said, tears in her eyes. "I can't believe  _you_  are getting married before your brother."

Ally smiled. She shrugged her shoulder. "I found my soulmate first."

"I am so glad Normani was the person you chose to spend your life with."

Ally grinned. "Me too. I love her."

"Have you thought about extending your family?"

Ally nodded. "We'd want more kids. And Lo here will help us take care of her brother and sisters."

"I 'as mowe?" Lauren asked, frowning.

"Yeah, and they'll be little babies."

"Okay," Lauren responded, wanting to move on to the next topic.

-

"Do you want anything?" Ally asked, looking though her purse.

Lauren perked up. She hadn't been paying attention, but now he was. She shook her head.

"You 'o, I s'ay wit G'amma Paddy," Lauren said, pushing her mother away.

Ally laughed, before nodding. "Okay. I'll be back."

"Okay, bye."

Ally shook her head and walked away. Lauren grinned and turned to Patricia and grinned.

"'allo," Lauren said, looking at Patricia with wide eyes.

"What do you want to do?" Patricia asked, as she sat down on a bench.

Lauren sat down next to her. "'awk."

"What do you want to talk about?"

Lauren frowned. How could she get her grandmother teach her something?

"How are you liking school?"

Lauren shrugged. "I' okay. I no be 'oopid. I 'as f'iends."

"That must be fun. How are your friends?"

"'ood. 'ucy an' 'ailee my wi'es. I-I 'aves new f'iend. Sydney. She nice. 'issy is mean."

"She is?" Patricia asked, frowing.

"Yes. She no 'ike me. She Sydney sis'er."

"Do you know why she may be mean?"

"O'd 'ome no 'ood," Lauren responded, looking around.

Patricia hummed.

Lauren turned over to look at Patricia. "Teash me."

Confused, the older woman frowned. "What?"

"Teash me wo'ds," Lauren told her, looking at her with wide eyes.

"Oh, um, okay. Giraffe."

Lauren sighed. That was not what she meant.

"No.  _Teash me_."

"Potential."

Lauren shook her head.

"Whewe Mama?" Lauren asked, looking at Patricia.

Lauren gave up. The woman wasn't going to teach her anything. She got her hopes up for no reason.

"Want to see what she's doing?"

Lauren nodded her head.

Patricia and Lauren started to walk to the building, when someone bumped into the older woman. Patricia snapped, as a drink (it looked hot, like what Lauren's mothers drank in the mornings) spilt all over her.

Lauren perked up upon hearing what her grandmother said.

This trip was not bad at all.

-

"I'll see you soon," Patricia said, hugging her granddaughter and daughter.

Lauren nodded, as she kissed the woman's cheek.

Patricia frowned at the girl. She looked a little too happy to be leaving.

She moved onto hug her daughter.

"Next time I see you, you'll be getting ready to marry the love of your life."

Ally grinned. "Yeah, I can't wait."

"I love you Allyson. I always will."

"I love you too. You taught me to be a good mother. You taught me so much."

Patricia hugged Ally one more time. She pulled away and looked at Ally's face.

"Get out of here before I start crying."

Ally grinned and kissed her cheek. With one last goodbye, Ally walked away with Lauren.

Patricia watched her walk away. Her little girl was growing up and it made her so sad. But she had become a wonderful woman and she couldn't be prouder.

-

Ally frowned at Lauren's giddiness. The girl looked ready to get home. She parked the car and went to open the car for Lauren. The girl rushed to the front door. Once she opened the door, Lauren ran inside, screaming " _Ma_."

Ally closed the door before hearing. " _Ally!"_

She turned to see Dinah storming to her with Lauren over her shoulder. Camila and Normani were right behind her.

"Yeah?" Ally asked, frowning.

"You weren't supposed to leave her alone with your mother. We  _talked_  about it," Dinah said, glaring at the woman.

Ally sighed. "What did my mom teach her?"

Lauren giggled. " _You motherfucker._ "


	80. Game of the Thrones

****Normani pulled Ally close. She pressed her mouth against her fiancée's. Ally moved back so she was straddling Normani. Normani just stared up at her, with a smile.

"A few more hours," Normani whispered.

"Did you enjoy our time together last night? Because that's the last time we'll be together as fiancées."

"Next time we spend the day together, we'll be wives," Normani said, pulling Ally back to reconnect their lips.

"So you and Camila will be staying here?"

Ally nodded. "We're going to have a tiny bachelorette party here. It'll just be me and Camila and the oven."

Normani laughed. "That oven better not have a stripper inside."

"The only think coming out of that oven will be sugary treats," Ally responded, a grin on her face.

Normani laughed again, pulling Ally back. They were both into their kissing, they didn't notice the door open.

"Dat 'ow 'iss?" Lauren asked, staring at them with a frown. She nodded her head. "Okay."

Normani and Ally pulled away the second they heard Lauren's voice.

The young girl grinned. "We mee' G'amma?"

Normani let out a laugh. Ally climbed off of Normani's lap.

"Say goodbye to your Mama," Normani told her.

Lauren gave Ally a kiss on the cheek. "See you 'a'er a'i'ador."

Ally let out a loud laugh, shaking her head. "You are something."

Lauren gave their mother a toothy grin.

"Lauren, your mango is dead on the floor, mija!" Camila called out.

Lauren let out a gasp, before running out of the room.

Normani shook her head. "I'll see you later. Tell Dinah to come by later."

Ally nodded. She took a step towards Normani. "I will let her know. Now take our girl to your mother, my love."

"I love you my soon-to-be-wife," Normani said, kissing Ally one last time before leaving.

"And don't leave Lauren alone with your mother, for even a second!"

-

"Lauren!" Andrea exclaimed, opening her arms.

The green eyed girl giggled as she ran into her arms.

"Hey mom," Normani said, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.

"How are you?" Andrea asked, looking at her daughter.

"Excited, nervous. I marry Allyson tomorrow. The day I have been waiting for," Normani said, grinning.

Andrea smiled. She looked down at her daughter. "How about we go inside and we prepare for the wedding."

"Si," Lauren answered, grinning. She ran into the house and sat on the couch. "We wash?"

-

Lauren sat on Andrea's lap, as the two watched Normani put her dress on. (They had watched television for a few minutes, well Lauren did, Normani and Andrea caught up.)

"P'eddy," Lauren said, grinning. "You p'incess."

Normani smiled. "Do you know what tomorrow is?"

"Weddin'?"

"And do you know what a wedding is?"

Lauren shook her head.

Normani nodded. She sat down next to Lauren.

"You see, your Mama and I have been together for  _years_. And then we got engaged a few year after. Now, we are getting married. We promising to stay with one another. We are promising to love each other no matter what. We are promising ourselves to each other."

Lauren nodded. "Soun's nice."

"And it also means you'll be one step closer to becoming Lauren Michelle Hamilton-Cabello."

Lauren's eyes lit up. She grinned. "'eally?"

Normani nodded. "Yes. We are ours, and we are going to make sure the world knows it."

Lauren got off of Andrea's lap and hugged Normani. "I love you Mommy."

"I love you too my little girl, I love you too."

"There are some alteration your grandmother and I want to do," Andrea interjected after Normani and Lauren had their moment.

"Really?"

Andrea nodded. "Yeah. We wanted to show you."

"I wash 'ovies?" Lauren asked, the conversation probably boring to her.

Normani frowned. "I don't want her to watch television without supervision."

Andrea shrugged. "Just let her, there is nothing bad on the television."

Normani sighed, before nodding.

Lauren grinned at her grandmother. "'ank you!" She ran out of the room.

Normani rolled her eyes. "That girl." She then turned to her mother to talk about what she thought about the dress.

-

Lauren ran into the living room and grabbed the television remote. She pressed  _DVR_ (something she knew to do). Lauren looked through the shows and movies (knowing some words here and there).

She stopped at the the one that said  _Game of Thrones_. She had learned what "game" was, and that sounded like fun. She played it. She reached into her backpack and grabbed Nala. She placed the lion on her lap and had it watch the show with her.

-

Normani walked into the living room, to see Lauren captivated by the television.

Normani frowned, staring at the television, wondering what her daughter was watching.

"What's that?" Normani asked, her eyes on the screen.

Lauren shrugged, her eyes staying on the monitor.

The characters on the television seemed to become intimate. Just as the female character was taking their clothes off, Normani turned the television off.

Lauren's head whipped over to look at Normani.

"Why?" Lauren asked, frowning.

"That show is not for you," Normani said, frowning.

"Why?"

"Because there are things that are too adult for you."

"Why?"

"Because you are my innocent little girl and I can't have that innocent mind poisoned," Normani said, giving Lauren a sweet smile.

But Lauren just sighed. "Okay."

She stood up and turned to her mother. "'ood?"

Normani smiled. "Mom made lunch, want to go bug her to feed us?"

Smirking, Lauren smiled. "Si!" She ran to the kitchen.

Normani took the moment to change the channel and put a quick parental block on the television. She then followed her daughter into the kitchen.

"Feed us mother," Normani said, smirking.

Lauren nodded. "Yes, 'eed us G'amma."

Andrea narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "What are you teaching your daughter?"

"It's all Dinah. She gets her sass from Ma."

"Yes, f'om Ma," Lauren said, nodding her head.

Andrea laughed. "Yes, blame it on the mother that can't defend herself."

"She'll be here to defend herself later," Normani said, with a small smile as she grabbed the plates.

Lauren perked up from the table she was sitting at. "Ma be 'ewe?"

Normani sighed and nodded. She placed Lauren's plate in front of the girl. "Your Ma will be here tonight. Eat your food." Normani turned her attention to her mother. "You know, every time Lauren hangs out with her grandmothers, she learned something new. With Dinah's, she called Ally an a-s-s. Then with Mila's mother, she learned p-u-t-a. And then Patricia, she called Dinah a mofo."

Andrea had a smug look on her face. "Well, I haven't taught her anything bad."

Giving her a serious look, Normani responded. "She was watching  _Game of Thrones_ , on  _your_  tv. We don't know what she was watching!"

"Did she learn anything?"

Normani sighed. "We'd have to wait for Dinah to find out."

-

Camera ready, Normani was going to film what was about to happen to show Ally and Camila when she saw them again.

Dinah walked in. Normani waited, holding her breath.

"Honey I'm home!" Dinah called out, grinning.

Lauren walked up to Dinah and looked up at her.

Dinah stared at Lauren, also waiting.

" _Cocksucker_."

Dinah opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Normani was laughing. Normani should have known that was one possibility. It was a word repeated multiple times throughout the televised show.

Normani cleared her throat. She turned the camera to Lauren. She gave the girl a stern look. "Lo, we don't say that. It's a bad word. Do you want a time out?"

Lauren shook her head.

"Do you even know what the words you've learned mean?"

"No."

"And why me? Am I always the one bullied? What did I ever do?" Dinah whined, a pout on her face.

Lauren blinked a few times, before another word escaped her mouth that left Normani in stitches and Dinah flabbergasted.

" _Pussy_."


	81. I Do (part 1)

 

Lauren stared at her reflection, seeing he dress. She saw someone one walk up behind her. She smiled at her Ma.

"And how is my little girl doing?"

"I 'ood Ma. I, uh, 'elp?"

"You want to help, or you  _need_  help?"

"I need 'elp," Lauren responded, turning to face her mother.

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "And why should I help you when you've been mean to me?"

"'ause you love me?" Lauren gave Dinah a toothy grin.

Dinah let out a laugh. She shook her head, before nodding. "Okay, you are right. So what do you need help with?"

Lauren grinned, clapping her hand. She grabbed Dinah's hand and took her to the bed, and sat down next to her.

-

Lauren looked at Dinah, who nodded. They had driven to the Kendrick-Snow home, where the family and the Mendes-Mahone family were getting ready. Lauren had knocked on the door and gripped the two roses rightly. It opened, revealing Anna.

"'aiz an' 'uce home?" Lauren asked, looking at her feet.

Anna smirked. "Lucy, Hailee, there is someone here to see you."

The two girls in question walked to the door and smiled at Lauren.

She took a deep breath and looked at Hailee and Lucy. "I, uh, be, uh." Lauren closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked at both girls, who looked worried, but were still smiling. "W-wi-will you bbbe my, my da-dates for M-Mama an' M-Mom-Mommy's wed-wedding?"

Hailee grinned. "Yes."

"Who else would be my date?" Lucy asked, grinning.

A smile stretched on Lauren's face. She let out a breath and handed each girl a rose and kissed them (the peck lasting longer than usual on each girl). Lauren turned to her mother. "Dey say yes Ma."

Dinah placed her hand on the girl's back. "We have things to prepare before the ceremony. We'll see you later."

"Bye my loves," Lauren said, giving the girls a kiss on the cheek.

Hailee and Lucy went back to their parents while Dinah led Lauren away.

"My daughter, the player."

Lauren looked at Dinah, confused.

"You just have many people falling over for you."

"I-I on'y wan' 'wo. I wan' 'uce and 'aiz."

" _Luce, Haiz._ "

"L-Luce, H-Haiz?"

"Surprise them at the wedding. They'll love you more."

Lauren grinned. "Yes, wan' deiw love."

"I love you you amazing child."

Lauren grinned. "I love you Ma."

-

Normani's heart was beating quickly. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she first met Ally when they were six, when she first kissed Ally when she was fourteen, when Ally asked her to marry her when she was twenty-one.

Twenty-one, she was engaged at twenty-one. People thought they were too young to be engaged or that they hadn't experienced life yet, but she knew Ally was the person for her. It was always her, when Normani had other boyfriends, she always thought about Ally. No one in the world held a light to Ally, and no one ever would.

There was a knock on the door. Normani looked over to see her father peek his head in.

"Hey Daddy," Normani said, turning back to look at herself.

Derrick walked in and stood next to his daughter. "You look beautiful."

Normani smiled at him.

"I wanted to give you something," he said, reaching into his pocket and showed Normani a necklace. He smiled down at it. "This belonged to my mother. And I know she'd want you to have it."

Normani wrapped her arms around her father. "Thank you. Can you put it on me?"

Her father nodded. He clipped the necklace in place and looked at the reflection of his daughter.

"She's be so proud of you, just like the rest of us are. You have grown up to be an intelligent woman. You have done so much, and I couldn't be prouder. I remember when you were a shy little girl, look at you know. You have grown up. You have started a family. I love you Normani. My little girl is all grown up. I remember you staying up past your bedtime just so I would read you a story every night. You'd be cranky the next morning, but you never slept without a story. When you stopped staying up, it was one of the worst and best times of my life. It was one of the worst because you weren't my little girl anymore."

"I'll always be your little girl."

Derrick smiled. "I know, but you don't need me anymore."

"I'll always need you," Normani told him, turning to hug her father. "I love you."

He kissed the top of her head, a smile on her face.

-

"When you were born, I was so scared. You were so tiny. I thought you were going to break. I remember holding you in my arms. Your tiny little fingers. I remember when you opened your eyes for the first time. I never wanted to let you go. We were told you wouldn't make it through the night. But you did. You fought. You never stopped fighting. You fought for your love, you fought for your small family. You have grown up into a wonderful lady, and I am happy to call you my daughter," Jerry said, looking at Ally.

Ally let out a small cry, as she wrapped her arms around her father.

"I love you."

"I love you. You found your happiness, you found the person you can't live without. A lot of people spend their lives looking for that person, you found them at seven. Don't tell your brother, but you were my favorite."

Ally laughed. She closed her eyes, feeling her father's heart against her ear.

"You were my little princess."

"And you were my king."

Jerry laughed, his arms wrapped around Ally.

-

The church was filled with people. Shawn, Austin, Anna, Brittany were all together. Tori and Alessia had attended the wedding. Lauren's brother and sister were also there with their parents. Cole, his brother, and their dates had been invited. Chrissy and Sydney sat with Demi and Selena. Ariana, Simon, and Ashley were all there. Sofi, Regina, Arielle, Ashlee, Brandon and Seth occupied a whole bench. Milika, Gordon, Sinu, Alejandro, Andrea, Derrick, Barbara, Patricia, and Jerry sat with each other.

Ally watched as Lauren stood with Lucy and Hailee. (Everyone wanted Lauren to sit with them, but Lauren wanted to sit with her wives/dates.) The girl waved at her, causing Ally to grin.

She looked to the middle of the aisle to see her soon-to-be wife walk to her with her father. Ally's eyes filled with tears as she saw the love of her life walk up to her. She looked up at Normani when she stopped in front of her.

"You look beautiful," Ally said, looking dazed. She couldn't believe the day had finally come, the day she was going to become Ally Hamilton, wife of Normani. She couldn't believe she was going to be able to tell the world that Normani was her wife. She couldn't believe that Normani was going to become her wife.

Normani smiled. "You look beautiful too."

Ally felt the need to kiss Normani, but knew she had to wait.

She turned to the priest, who was smiling.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Allyson Hernandez and Normani Hamilton in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, that is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined," he started, while Ally and Normani just stared at each other, smiling.

"If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Silence, except for Lauren's giggles.

"Who gives Allyson to be married to Normani?"

Jerry and Patricia both stood, "We do."

"Me!" Lauren exclaimed, raising her hand.

The crowd laughed. With a smile, the priest continued.

"Who gives Normani to be married to Allyson?"

Andrea and Derrick stood up and smiled at Ally. "We do."

"Me!"

"The brides have their prepared their own vows," he said, signaling to Ally first.

"Normani Hamilton, you are the love of my life. You are my best friend. I tell you everything, my fears, my secrets, my dreams and you are always there. You support me in ways I didn't thin was possible. You are always there to pick me up when I am feeling down. When I lost my grandpa, you didn't let me get lost in my sadness. You were there to remind me of the good times. You were always there. I knew from the moment we kissed that you were  _it_  for me. There would never be anyone else. When we found Lauren, you didn't look away. You were the person to ask if we could take care of her. You were the one who knew what to do-"

"Rihanna Fanfiction," Dinah said, covering it in coughs.

Camila tried to stifle a laugh. The rest of the guests laughed as well.

" _Anyways,_ after knowing you for twenty two years, you still manage to surprise me. And I want to continue to find out more about you as your wife."

Normani let out a watery laugh. "How am I supposed to follow that?"

"Try," Camila whispered, grinning.

Normani rolled her eyes. She turned to Ally. "I remember being scared when a little girl came up to me wanting to be friends. I never thought my first friend would soon become my wife. But I'm glad. I always supported you because  _you_  supported me. When you are with me when I wanted to start my own dance studio. You never told me that I was wasting my life. When I felt like it was go nowhere, you were the one who told me that I had to keep following my dreams. You wanted the best for me, even if I didn't know what that was. You kept smiles on my faces. I want to keep smiles on  _your_  faces. I want to promise you the world. I want to wake up with you as my wife and go to sleep with you as my wife. I want  _you_  and only you."

Ally bit her lip as the tears in her eyes threatened to slip down her face.

"Allyson Hernandez, do you take Normani Hamilton for your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love her, to honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health, and to be her in all things a good and faithful wife as long as you both shall live?"

Ally looked into Normani's eyes and with a smile, nodded. "I do."

"Normani Hamilton, do you take Allyson Hernandez for your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love her, to honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health, and to be her in all things a good and faithful wife as long as you both shall live?"

"I do. Always." Normani said, before mouthing 'I love you.'

The priest looked at Camila. "May I have the ring for the bride?"

Camila smiled and placed the ring in her cousin's hand.

Ally looked at Camila with smile. "Thank you."

"Allyson, will you now place this ring upon your beloved's finger and repeat after me."

Ally placed the ring in Normani's finger, as she stared into her eyes. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The priest turned to Dinah. "May I have the ring for the bride?"

Dinah smirked. "Don't lose it." (Normani had lost her engagement ring a few years before and took her and Dinah two days to find it. It was inside the cereal box.)

Normani let out a laugh and nodded her head.

"Normani, will you now place this ring upon your beloved's finger and repeat after me."

Normani slipped the ring onto Ally's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The priest turned to the couple. "In as much as Allyson and Normani have consented together in wedlock and have witnessed the same before this company, and pledged their vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you wife and wife."

Ally and Normani leaned into each other. The priest smiled. "Normani, Allyson, you may now kiss."

Normani pulled Ally forward and connected their lips. The guests cheered. (Lauren 'ewwed.')

"You are now my bride," Normani whispered, grinning.

"And you are my wife," Ally said, kissing Normani again.

Normani turned to took the flowers from Dinah, giving the girl a wink.

Dinah took a deep breath and turned to Camila. "Mila?"

The girl in question turned to her fiancée with a smile.

"I know we haven't been engaged long. And these two were engaged for a  _long_  time. But we are spontaneous. And live in the now. And I spoke to the priest. The next ceremony canceled, so there is a slot opened. We had a conversation, and I know we are supposed to have our marriage license, but I don't want to wait another day. We have the chance and I want to take it to be Dinah Cabello as soon as I can. I don't want a long engagement. I talked to Ally and Mani, and they are okay with it. Marry me Camila. Be my wife right now."


	82. I Do (part 2)

 

"We're actually doing this?" Camila asked her parents.

Sinu nodded. "It's better than Dinah's other plan."

Camila frowned.

Alejandro laughed. "She wanted to get you really drunk and go to a chapel and marry you. She was then going to surprise you the next morning."

Camila looked flabbergasted. "She wasn't."

"She was. She even had some invitations ready. Alejandro and I were the first to see them. I think it said, "Welcome to a Wedding My Wife Won't Remember."

"I think this one is better. You'll actually remember this."

Camila laughed, shaking her head.

"You know, when you were a little girl, you said you were going to marry Austin. Then you got older and changed it to Shawn. But since dating Dinah, you never said you wanted to marry Dinah," Alejandro said, looking at his daughter.

Camila hummed in response.

"Why?"

Camila smiled. "I didn't  _want_  to marry her, I was  _going_  to marry her."

Alejandro walked up to his daughter. "You are beautiful. Just like your mother. I remember being scared that I wasn't going to be enough. I remember being scared of starting a family. I was scared I was going to screw you up. I was scared your mistakes were going to be my fault. I was always scared. I was scared when you were out late. I was scared when you had games. You were my first born. I held you in my arm when you were born. And I knew you were my perfect thing. You were complete perfection. And now, I get to walk you down the aisle to someone who sees you as I do."

Camila jumped into her father's arms.

"You and your sister are the only perfect things in my life."

Camila pulled away to look up at her father. "What about mom?"

"She'd be perfect if only she'd  _stop_  betting against me!"

"Not my fault you always lose."

"You have to let me win!"

"My husband is a child," Sinu muttered, before turning to Camila.

"I'm getting married?"

Alejandro pulled Camila into her arms. "You are. We are so proud of you."

Camila let out a laugh laced with a sob, "I'm getting married."

-

Dinah was full on sobbing. Milika rolled her eyes as she held her daughter in her arms.

Gordon was laughing from his seat.

"I am glad you will no longer be our responsibility," MIlika said. "Please tell Camila she's not allowed to return you."

Dinah let out a laugh. "She going to be stuck with me."

Gordon stood up and walked to Dinah. "My beautiful girl. You have grown into such a wonderful girl with a huge heart. Camila is very lucky to have you."

"I'm the lucky one."

"You are going to make a wonderful wife. And we are so glad Camila will officially be a part of your family. We should have known since that day you brought her home that you were going to end up together. You always talked about what she liked, or about your best friend Camila. It was a sign, and we knew that what you had was special. You never talked about anyone in the way you talked about Camila. You loved her before you even knew what love was."

Dinah walked into her father's arms. "I'm so happy."

Her father hugged her close. "My oldest is getting married. You are doing what you like. You've made me so proud."

Dinah sighed, as she leaned into him. She felt her mother join in on the hug.

"We love you Dinah Jane," Milika said, "marrying Camila is one of the best things you've ever done."

"I know," Dinah whispered, taking in the feeling of both her parents holding her.

-

The second wedding started. Everyone was watching (except Lauren, she was bored and wanted to eat already).

It started with no problem, the priest started.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here for a second time to witness the union of Dinah Jane Hansen and Karla Camila Cabello in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, that is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined.

"If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Again, no one spoke up, except Lauren exaggerated sigh. " _'ood._ "

"Who gives Karla to be married to Dinah?"

Alejandro and Sinu stood up. "We do."

Hailee whispered into Lauren's ear and the young girl stood up. "Me  _too_."

"Who gives Dinah to be married to Karla?"

Milika and Gordon stood up. "We do."

"You can't return her," Milika added.

Lucy whispered into Lauren's year, the younger girl shook her head. " _Not_  me."

Dinah let out a laugh, shaking her head at her daughter. She wasn't surprised by Lauren's comment. She turned to the priest.

"The brides have also prepared their own vows," the priest said, turning to Camila.

"I go first? Okay," Camila whispered, looking down. She then looked up into Dinah's eyes. "I love you. I've always loved you. I know when you proposed, you said I came to you, but you were wrong. You came to me and made me read to you. You were Dinah then and you are still the same person you are now. You've been there behind me when I thought my career was going no where. You,  _any of you_ , let me give up, giving me the best chance ever. You make me feel things I never felt before. You make me feel so loved, it's impossible to not want to spend the rest of my life with you. You make life fun. And you make life better by just being in it. And by stand here, with you, I promising to always love you. To stick by your side and to be there with you when you get your foot stuck in the toilet again because you love to prove Mani wrong. I promise you everything I can give you."

Dinah let out a laugh, while she wiped her tears.

"I guess it's my turn. So Karla," Dinah started, grinning at Camila's glare, "you are everything to me. You are my heart and soul. You are the light of my life. And I want to keep you safe. I want to protect you. I know I've made mistakes before, but from now until we die, I will protect you. I will protect our family. And if you ever want to leave me, I will stuff you in the trunk of my car until you decide to stay with me. And my mom said you have to keep me. Dating you, having you in my life has been the best thing I've ever done. I'd get down multiple times just to call you mine. You are everything to me, and everything you promised me, I promise back. And the sex is also really sweet."

"Wha's ses?" Lauren asked Hailee and Lucy who were blushing.

"I love you now, I loved you then, and I will love you in the future," Dinah finished, smiling at her bride.

"Karla Camila Cabello, do you take Dinah Jane Hansen for your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love her, to honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health, and to be her in all things a good and faithful wife as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Camila whispered through her tears.

"Dinah Jane Hansen, do you take Karla Camila Cabello for your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love her, to honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health, and to be her in all things a good and faithful wife as long as you both shall live?"

"Duh," Dinah answered, before smiling. "I do."

The priest looked at Ally. "May I have the ring for the bride?"

Ally gave Camila the ring, "I'm proud of you."

Camila gave her a grin.

"Karla, will you now place this ring upon your beloved's finger and repeat after me."

Camila slid the ring onto Dinah's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The priest turned to Normani. "May I have the ring for the bride?"

Normani gave Dinah the ring. "If you mess this up, I'll shove that ring up your-"

"Okay!"

"Dinah, will you now place this ring upon your beloved's finger and repeat after me."

Dinah slid the ring onto Camila's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

The priest turned to the couple. "In as much as Karla and Dinah have consented together in wedlock and have witnessed the same before this company, and pledged their vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you wife and wife."

Dinah didn't even wait. She pulled Camila and pressed her lips against Camila's. The shorter girl placed her hands on Dinah's neck and held her.

-

Tori and Alessia sang while everyone mingled. Tori played her guitar.

Lauren was "dancing" with Hailee and Lucy (really, Lauren was just jumping in circles). They were the only ones "dancing." (Lucy and Hailee wouldn't have been there, they would have been too shy or embarrassed, but Lauren was having the time of her life so they were willing to be out there with her.)

All the guests were on their tables, with in groups. Shawn, Austin, Keana  (who wasn't able to make it to the ceremony as her flight departed late), Anna and Brittany had a whole table. Simon, his wife and son, Ariana and her date were at another. The Hamilton family, Hansen family, Cabello family, and Hernandez family were spread around. Sofi and Regina were talking to Taylor. Cole, his brother, and their dates were with Ally's other coworkers. Demi, Selena, Sydney and Chrissy were at their table (the girls didn't want to overwhelm Chrissy and Sydney and allowed them to have their own table).

Dinah and Camila were eating, while watching the people dance. Camila would play with her wedding band every once in a while.

Ally and Normani were sitting next to them. Ally was leaning against Normani, her head on her  _wife's_  shoulder.

"How do you feel wife?" Normani asked, grinning.

Ally looked up at Normani. "Like I'm on top of the world with my wife."

"I love hearing that," Normani whispered, closing her eyes.

"What, wife?"

Normani nodded her head.

"You're my wife. And I am your wife. We are married," Ally whispered. "When we go to bed, I'll be your wife. And when we wake up, I'll be your wife. I am Ally Hamilton."

Normani didn't answer. She just gently kissed Ally.

They turned to see Lauren, still jumping, holding Lucy and Hailee's hands.

Tori and Alessia finished their song.

"I hope you're all having a great time!" Alessia said into the mike.

"We'd like the brides on the dance floor for their first dance," Tori added, while she tuned her guitar for the next song.

Normani stood up and lead Ally to the dance floor, while Dinah did the same for Camila. Lucy and Hailee lead Lauren off the dance floor.

They started to slow dance.

Ally looked up at Normani, getting lost in her presence. Normani was the only person who mattered in that moment. Ally leaned into Normani, pressing her ear against her chest. Normani wrapped her arms around Ally and they swayed together.

Next to them, Camila and Dinah were the same, lost in each other.

-

"You're married now," Ariana said, grinning. She looked at Dinah, who was watching Camila with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, she's mine."

"I've seen the way she looks at you. The way she talks about you. She's been yours forever," Ariana said. She turned to Dinah, "I wanted to say congrats. I know you guys are going to do great and are going to be together until the end."

Dinah looked at Ariana. She grinned. "Thank you. I hope you are having fun."

Ariana nodded. "I am. And so is Simon and his family. Thank you for inviting us."

Dinah grinned. "You're part of our extended family. You get invited into anything we do."

"I'm honored."

-

Demi watched as she watched a green eyed boy talk to  _her_  daughter. Chrissy was sitting with Selena, leaning into her.

The boy smiled at Sydney, a blush on his face. She was about to tell him off when Hailee walked by, giving the boy a hug.

That confused Demi, because Hailee never walked up tot strangers, and she never initiated contact. Demi moved a little closer to hear what Hailee was saying.

"Your sister wants a dance," Hailee told him, pointing to Lucy and Lauren.

The boy nodded his head. "Can you tell Lo in the next song?"

Hailee nodded.

Demi, curious, moved to sit near Sydney and the boy. "You know Hailee?"

The boy looked bewildered. He nodded his head. "Yeah, she's my sister's wife."

"Lauren is your sister?"

The boy grinned, his eyes lit up. "Yeah. I just met her, and I love her. And I've hung out with Hailee and Lucy and we're good friends."

"Demi, this is Chris," Sydney said, grinning.

 _Chris_  blushed and looked down. He gave Sydney a small smile.

Demi narrowed her eyes.

"Can I have water?" Chrissy asked Selena, looking up at her.

Selena smiled. "Of course, just sit here, okay?"

Demi leaned back, keeping an eye on Chris and Sydney.

-

"Do you remember our wedding?" Anna asked, smiling, as she looked at her wife.

"It's one of the top three best days of my life," Brittany said, looking at Anna.

"What are the other two?"

"Invading your shower and adopting Hailee."

Anna leaned over and kissed Brittany. "I love you so much."

"And I will always love you."

-

"That'll be us one day," Shawn whispered, as he took a bite of his food.

Austin smirked. "Really? I guess I have to tell my other boyfriend that I can't marry him."

Shawn narrowed his eyes. He grabbed Lucy who was walking by and pulled her onto his lap.

"Tell Austin he is being mean."

"Don't be mean Daddy," Lucy said, giving him a glare.

Austin gasped. "Using our daughter against me? How is that fair?"

Keana laughed. She shook her head. She pulled Lucy away from Shawn and kissed her cheek.

"Having fun?"

Lucy nodded. "Yeah. Laurie and Hail and I are, we're playing hide and seek and I'm looking for them and it's fun and we're running. And I'm happy you're here."

(Lucy was big at the moment, but having her mommy there got her to slip a little. Not enough to be lisp, but enough to have that innocence in her.)

Keana grinned, telling Lucy to go look for Lauren and Hailee. The girl kissed all her parents' cheeks and ran away.

Shawn and Austin exchanged looked, before turning to Keana. "So how's the love life?"

-

Camila sat in front of everyone, sitting on a chair, guitar on her lap. She pulled the microphone closer to her mouth. "This is a song I've been working on. No one has heard it. This is for my  _wife_  and the new Hamiltons."

Camila started to play her guitar.

_Something must've gone wrong in my brain_   
_Got your chemicals all in my veins_   
_Feeling all the highs, feeling all the pain_   
_Let go of the purest upon the lane_   
_Now I'm seeing red, not thinking straight_   
_Blurring all the lines, you intoxicate me_

Dinah offered her hand to Lauren who took it. Ally and Normani went to the dance floor. Lucy started to slow dance with Hailee.

_Just like nicotine, heroine, morphine_   
_Suddenly, I'm a fiend and you're all I need_   
_All I need, yeah, all I need_

_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never be the same_   
_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never ever, ever be the same_

Camila stared at Dinah while she sang. She winked at her wife.

_I'll never be the same_   
_I'll never be the same_   
_I'll never be the same_

_Sneaking in late when the lights are low_   
_Off of one touch, I could overdose_   
_So stop playing it safe, girl, I wanna see you lose control_

_Just like nicotine, heroine, morphine_   
_Suddenly, I'm a fiend and you're all I need_   
_All I need, ooh, yeah, you're all I need_

Hailee and Lucy took Lauren from Dinah, who went to stand close to the stage as Camila went to the chorus again, singing to Dinah.

_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never be the same_   
_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never ever, ever be the same_

_I'll never be the same_   
_I'll never be the same_   
_I'll never be the same_

_You're in my blood, you're in my veins, you're in my head_   
_You're in my blood, you're in my veins, you're in my head_   
_You're in my blood, you're in my veins, you're in my head_   
_You're in my blood, you're in my veins, you're in my head_

Tori, who seem to have gotten the hang of the song, took over, while Camila used her free hands to pull Dinah towards her as she finished the song.

_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never be the same_   
_It's you, babe_   
_And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe_   
_And I could try to run, but it would be useless_   
_You're to blame_   
_Just one hit, you will know I'll never ever, ever be the same_

_Just one hit, you will know I'll never ever, ever be the same_

Dinah leaned down and kissed Camila. The crowd cheered. "I love you," Dinah whispered.

"I love you too."

-

"We're not supposed to be here," Hailee whispered, looking at Lucy, Lauren, and Seth.

"Wan' 'ake," Lauren said, sticking her head out from under the table and looking around.

She crawled to the table with the cake, Lucy, Hailee and Seth crawling behind her.

They snuck under the table with the cake over it. They sat in a circle.

"Let's do this," Lucy said, giving everyone a nod.

-

The brides were walking towards the table with the cake. They froze when they saw a chunk of it gone. There were crumbs on the ground, going under the table.

Camila crouched down and pulled up the table clothe. She smiled when she saw Hailee, Lucy, Lauren and Seth under the table, cake frosting smeared around their mouths.

Lauren blinked a few times, before extending her hand, offering Camila some cake with a grin.

Camila shook her head and told the four to get out from under the table.

The brides cut the cake and had the servers serve the cake. (Lauren got two slices).

-

As the night came to a close, the girls were dancing. Hailee had been tired and fell asleep. She was with Anna and Brittany, as the mothers talked and let their daughter sleep.

Lucy was with Keana, wanting to catch up with her mother before she left the next night.

Lauren was dancing with her mothers, as they all jumped around. (Tori and Alessia had finished their session and a DJ took over. The two girls were now able to have fun and drink.)

Lauren giggled as Dinah turned her.

"We're going to do it?" Camila shouted over the loud music.

Normani nodded. "Yes! Before the honeymoon!"

"Do you think Lauren will be able to go with us?" Ally asked, while she jumped with Lauren.

"I called the social worker and got the okay," Dinah told them, smiling.

Camila hugged Dinah. "I love you Dinah Cabello."

Dinah grinned. "I love you wife."

"My lovely wife, my love," Ally told Normani, who kissed her.

"I love you Ally Hamilton."

"Me!"

"We love you Lauren Michelle Cabello-Hamilton," the four girls said in unison.

Lauren giggled and continued to dance with her mothers.

They were all happy. And life could only go up from here.


	83. Lauren Michelle-Cabello Hamilton

 

_Lauren was pushed by her Mami into the room. She gasped, as she fell to the ground. She looked up to see Mike and Clara standing in front of her._

_Mike smirked. "Do you know what you are doing here?"_

_With tears in her eyes, Lauren shook her head. She looked at her mothers, to see them standing far away from her._

_Clara laughed. She knelt down in front of Lauren and smirked._

_"Your mothers don't want you anymore. So they are returning you, where you belong."_

_Lauren let out a small sob. She shook her head. "No."_

_"Yes, they don't want you."_

_Lauren shook her head. She looked over to her mothers, but they were gone._

_Lauren turned to Clara and Mike, to see their smirked. "Welcome home."_

_"N_ o!" Lauren shouted, sitting up. She trembled, as she looked around her room. She was at her mothers' home. She laid back down and hugged her Nala.

The door opened. Scared, Lauren pushed herself against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Lo?" she heard her Mommy whispered.

Lauren opened her eyes to see Normani standing there.

"M-Mommy," Lauren cried, her tears streaming down her face. She reached for her mother, but didn't move from her spot.

Normani frowned and rushed to Lauren. She pulled the girl close to her. "Baby." She placed Lauren on her lap and rocked them, running her hand through the girl's hair.

Lauren cried, as she pressed her face against Normani. She trembled, shaking her head.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Normani asked, rocking the girl.

"'es," Lauren muttered, gripping her mother's shirt. She was scared, but feeling her mother's arms around her calmed her down.

"Do you want to hear a story?"

Lauren nodded her head.

"Okay. Once upon a time, there was a Princess who was locked up in a castle. She was the nicest, sweetest girl that had ever existed. Her parents locked her up because she was too pure for the world. She was special, and no one deserved her. But two Knights heard about this Princess. They wanted to show the Princess the world, so they entered the castle and fought the Dragon. The Dragon was too strong, that the Knights were hurt. The Princess came out and touched the Dragon. The Dragon stopped fighting. It had protected the Princess all her life, and didn't want the Knights to hurt her.

"The Princess could see the pure love in the Knights. She walked up to the Knights and healed them with a kiss. The Knights wanted to show the Princess the world. The two Knights, the Dragon, and the Princess lived happily ever after, healing the world with their love," Normani whispered, looking down at Lauren.

Lauren's eyes were closing. Normani stood up, causing her to whimper.

"Shh, I'm going to get us comfortable. I'm sleeping here with you, don't worry," Normani said, looking down at Lauren.

The green eyed girl watched Normani as the older woman covered Lauren before climbing on the bed. Once Normani was on the bed, Lauren snuggled up close to her.

Lauren was half-asleep when she heard Normani. "It's my wedding night, and I'm here with you. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Lauren slept with a smile on her face, her mother keeping her nightmares away.

-

Camila leaned into Dinah. They had just signed their marriage license, making it official.

Dinah was now Dinah Cabello. Camila was a married woman. She looked down at her marriage band.

She looked over to see Ally filling out paperwork to start Lauren's name changing process. Lauren was curled up at Normani's side, (the girl hadn't left Normani's side all day.)

"Are we doing anything for our honeymoon?" Camila asked, being the last one to know of anything. Ally and Normani had been planning their honeymoon, and told Dinah what they were doing as a way to invite them (and allowing all of them to take Lauren with them).

"It's a surprise," Dinah said, smiling, "don't worry, I got it all worked out."

"You know, my parents told me your original plan," Camila said, looking at her wife. ( _Wife_ , how she loved saying thinking that. Wife. Wife. Wife. God, that sounded great.)

Dinah let out a nervous laugh. "I wanted to surprise you."

"You are  _so_  lucky you didn't do that," Camila told her, glaring, "or else I would have divorce you so fast, you would have gotten whiplash."

Dinah smiled and kissed Camila's cheek. "I love you Mrs. Cabello."

"And I love you Mrs. Cabello."

-

Ally turned in the paper work. Dinah and Camila were huddled up together. Lauren was hugging Normani.

"Lauren Michelle Cabello-Hamilton," the receptionist read.

"Me," Lauren called out from Normani's side. The girl had a huge grin. The receptionist looked at her and melted. "'allo."

"Hi sweetie," the receptionist said, smiling at the girl.

Ally smiled to herself. Lauren already had the receptionist, who's name was  _Stacey_ , in the palm of her hand.

"You wish to change her last name. Any reason why?"

"Dey love me," Lauren answered, smiling at her mothers. "I wan' dey names."

The receptionist stared at Lauren for a second, before turning to Ally.

"I don't usually do this, but I'll try to get the paperwork moving quickly. When can you be here for the hearing?"

"Three weeks?"

"Mama an' Mommy maw'y. An' Mami an' ma maw'y. I maw'y too. I 'aves 'wo wi'es. I love dem," Lauren responded, grinning. She hugged Normani tighter.

Stacey's smiled wider. "You are so cute."

Lauren frowned. "I maw'y."

Stacey laughed. "I"m not hitting on you. I can see you love your wives."

"Yes. I, new name?"

"When you and your mothers get back from the honeymoon we'll work to change your name."

Lauren grinned. "'ank you."

"You are welcome sweets. Now I just have to ask your Mama some questions, okay?"

"Yes, okay," Lauren answered grinning. She pulled Normani back to the chairs.

Ally turned to Stacey. "I know this is weird, her having four mothers."

Stacey shook her head. "I've seen weirder. That girls seems loved, and that's what matters. So when you get back from your honeymoon, you'll have your hearing." Stacey gave Ally a card. "Call this number in three weeks and find out what date. Lauren is expected to answer questions, but everything so go well. But really, she is Lauren Michelle Cabello-Hamilton."

Ally thanked the woman and lead her family out.

They were all a family. And now they were going to start a new chapter in their lives.

 


	84. The Happiest Place On Earth

 

Lauren looked out of her hotel room, her backpack on. Her mothers had rented out three rooms, one for each married couple and one for her. They were busy, celebrating their married life, letting Lauren watch movies on the television.

But she got bored, so she tried to sneak out. She was able to walk out and head to the elevator. She was able to leave the hotel room, smiling as she saw people around her.

She giggled as she walked to the parks.

-

Ally let herself fall back on the bed, as she tried to catch her breath.

"That was amazing."

Normani laughed, turning over to look at Ally. "I'm glad you're enjoyed that, wife."

Ally laughed, as she leaned in for another kiss. "How about I return the favor?"

Normani raised an eyebrow. "I'd like that."

-

"Yes! C'mon, faster, so close, please," Camila begged, "right there!"

Dinah shook her head. "We could be having sex, but no, you wanted to play video games."

Camila grinned at Dinah, before turning back to the television, the controller at hand.

Dinah rolled her eyes. She grabbed the two key cards at hand and turned to Camila. "I am going to go hang out with Lauren, come knock on our door when you are done."

"Okay."

Dinah shook her head again. "I thought we'd be having fun. Why do Ally and Normani get to have all the sexy fun?"

She walked to Lauren's room and used the key card to open it. She looked around, seeing the television off. She frowned.

"Lo?"

No answer.

"Lauren, c'mon, let's watch television together."

Nothing.

"Lo, this isn't funny."

Zip.

Dinah looked though the whole room, before rushing to her own.

"Camila, Lauren is gone!"

-

The people didn't let Lauren enter the parks. They were asking for a ticket, and Lauren didn't have that. She was left to roam around the stores, bored.

-

Auli'i Cravalho was in disguise. After being casted to be Moana, her life turned around. She was recognized a lot. She wasn't able to just go out and have fun.

She was at DisneyWorld of all places. She didn't know why, maybe she was feeling adventurous. She was wearing a light jacket, her hair messy, a cap on. She wore sunglasses, even though it was night out.

She listened to children laugh, she watched as couples kissed each other. She watched as teenagers took selfies, or bought candy. She just watched the people around her.

Auli'i took a step and bumped into someone. The person she bumped into fell back. She gasped, as she rushed to help the girl up.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Auli'i asked, looking around for injuries.

The girl shook her head. "I okay."

Auli'i took the chance to actually look at the girl. Her dark brown hair, her bright, innocent filled eyes.

"I, uh, 'ost."

Auli'i frowned. "What?"

"'ost."

"I'm sorry, but what?"

The girl sighed. She just shook her head and walked away. Auli'i didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone, so she chased after her.

"Hey, wait, what's your name?"

The girl blinked a few times, before grinning. "Nala."

Auli'i blinked a few times, before nodding her head. "Okay Nala, are you lost?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a phone?"

 _Nala_  shrugged. She pulled off her backpack and opened it, before offering it to Auli'i. The famous girl grabbed it and looked inside, seeing a stuffed Nala, a few cookies. She found a map and grabbed it, opening it.

One top of the map it had some words, which was amazing that they were there when she needed them.

_Incase This Girl is Lost_

_Her name is Lauren._

_Call this number:_

There was a number. Auli'i grabbed her phone and dialed the number.

" _Hello?_ " a panicked voice answered.

Auli'i watched  _Lauren_ , as the girl took Nala out of her backpack and gave it a hug. "Yeah, I have a Lauren here."

The other girl looked up with a pout. Auli'i narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, I know your name."

" _Is she okay? Where are you? We are headed over their right now._ "

Auli'i told them what store she was in front of, before hanging up. She turned to Lauren, who was staring at her.

"So, want to listen to the Moana soundtrack?"

Lauren sighed, before nodding. Both girls sat on a bench and listened to the soundtrack.

"Lauren!" someone shouted, causing both girls to look up.

"Ma!" Lauren shouted, running to a tall blond woman walking up to them.

Auli'i bent down and grabbed Lauren's things before heading to the women. She could hear them talking to her.

" _Don't_  ever leave your hotel room without one of us again, okay?" the shorter blond reprimanded.

"Okay," Lauren answered, nodding her head. She leaned into the tall blond.

The brunette turned to Auli'i and smiled. "Thank you for finding her."

"Holy shit, you're Camila."

Camila blinked a few times. "What?"

"I followed your YouTube. I loved your covers."

The YouTuber smiled. "Thank you. I didn't think people listened to that. And thank you for letting us know you found Lauren."

Auli'i smiled. "Its no problem."

"You know who I am, and Lauren. This is my wife Dinah, my cousin, Ally, and her wife Normani."

Auli'i gave them a wave, before looking around. She took off her sunglasses and lifted her hat. "My name is Auli'i Cravalho."

Dinah's eyes widened. "Oh my god. Moana. How in the heck did Lauren find a celebrity?"

Lauren giggled, as she kept her arms around Dinah.

"Moana," Lauren muttered, still giggling.

Auli'i let out a small laugh. She put her glasses back on. "I like to come here and watch people."

"It's a great thing you were here. Listen, we were going to get a late dinner, if you wanted to join is. It's not because your famous or anything, but because you kept Lo safe."

Auli'i thought about it, before nodding her head. "I'd love to."

-

Lauren was asleep on her bed. Ally and Normani on either side of her. Dinah and Camila deserved to consummate their marriage. They all decided that they would only get two rooms, and two people would stay with Lauren.

"One year," Ally said, looking at Normani from over Lauren's head.

"One year?"

"I want us to have a biological child one year from now."

Normani smiled. "Two? One from you and one from me?"

"Perfect," Ally said, reached over and tucking a hair behind Normani's ear.

"We're staying her for the next week, then what?"

"Camila said Simon gave her tickets to some concert. After that, we start our lives as wives."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Normani and Ally reached for each other to give each other a kiss.

"No," Lauren muttered, causing both mothers to jump part. They looked down to see Lauren still asleep.

They let out a laugh, before going off the bed.

-

Dinah tried to catch her breath. "Again?"

"I was thinking I could finish the game?"

Dinah sighed. "Let me play too then."

Dinah went to set up the video game, while Camila grabbed the controller. "And if you beat the game, I'll play another game with you."

Dinah jumped onto the bed and took the controller from Camila, starting to play the game. Camila sat between her legs, Dinah's arms around her. The younger woman kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They played the game for the rest of the night.

 


	85. One Fangirl

 

Camila looked down at the tickets in her hand before squealing. Lauren looked at her with a confused look on her face.

"It's happening," Camila whispered, shaking her head.

Dinah had her phone camera on, recording Camila.

"What's happening?"

Camila looked straight into the camera, "I'm meeting One Direction."

-

Lauren looking around, seeing all the people walking around her. She had snuck away from her mothers, who were going to meet some people. She didn't care about who ever those were.

She hummed Camila's newest as she just walked around.

"Hey, what are you doing all alone?" a male voice questioned.

Lauren turned to see a guy walking towards her. She frowned. "'allo."

"How did you get back here?" he asked, his voice weird.

Lauren looked down and grabbed V.I.P. pass around her neck. (Lauren had seen Dinah show someone to allow them to be where they were.)

"Oh, VIP, aren't you supposed to be with the others?" he asked, frowning.

Lauren shrugged. "Wan' see."

The boy looked around, before turning to Lauren. "Let's get you back with everyone, okay?"

Lauren pouted. She raised her hands, not wanting to walk. The boy laughed and let Lauren climb onto his back.

Lauren grinned, as she was carried back to her mothers.

"Lauren, there you are!" Ally ran to the pair and pulled Lauren into a hug when the guy let Lauren down.

"Y-you're Harry Styles," Camila stuttered, her eyes wide.

 _Harry_  smiled. "That's me, hello."

More voices got closer to the door, soon the other members of the band walked in.

"Oh my god," Camila whispered, her eyes wide.

The four other boys gave the girls a smile. "Which one is the girl Simon wanted us to meet?"

Dinah and Normani pushed Camila forward. "This is Simon's newest act."

Camila shot Dinah and Normani a glare, before turning to the boy band. "I, uh, Simon signed me."

Harry grinned. "You sang our song on YouTube, right?  _You Don't Know About Us_."

Camila blushed and nodded.

"Simon gave us strict instructions to take care of you girls and his Peanut."

"Me!" Lauren exclaimed, raising her hand.

"That's Lauren," Harry said, pointing to the happy girl.

"How dumb of us, we haven't introduced ourselves," Ally said, shaking her head.

"I'm Camila Cabello and this is my wife, Dinah," Camila said, smiling at Dinah. The taller girl wrapped her arm around Camila.

"I'm Normani, and that right there is  _my_  wife Ally," Normani said, smiling.

"Yes, Simon said you were on a double honeymoon," the boy with blond tips said.

"You know who we are, right?" the boy with tattoos said, smirking.

"No."

The boys faltered, staring at Lauren with wide eyes.

"You don't know us?" Harry asked, frowning.

"I know you," Lauren answered.

"I'm Louis Tomlinson, that's Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, and you know Harry. We're One Direction."

Lauren nodded. "Okay."

Zayn blinked a few times. "That's a turn of events. We usually have teen girls throwing themselves on us, telling us they want to marry us."

Normani smiled. "Lauren here is our daughter, we're fostering her and she is already taken."

Lauren let out a yawn, and went to sit down.

Dinah decided to chime in. "You know Mila here likes to write fanfiction about you guys."

"Dinah!"

Lauren curled up in a chair and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

-

"So you saved her?" Niall asked, turning to Lauren who was asleep.

"Yeah. Her speech isn't the greatest, but we are helping her improve it."

"So Simon thought of a way to get you out there, and what better than to duet with us," Zayn told her, a smirk on his face.

Camila's eyes widened, as she turned to her family.

"Do it," Dinah whispered, grinning.

Ally nodded.

Normani smiled. "It's your dream."

"O-okay," Camila said, slowly nodding her head.

Harry smiled. "Great, we'll set you up soon. It'll be in the middle of the set."

Camila nodded.

The boys' manager told them it was time for them to go prepare for the concert.

Once they were gone, Camila turned and slapped Dinah upside the head. "What the hell?"

"Ow, what was that for?" Dinah asked, rubbing the back of her head. "'You know Mila here likes to write fanfiction about you guys.' They didn't need to know that!"

Dinah shrugged. "You should have told me not to say anything."

Camila glared at her. "I want a divorce."

"Take that back," Dinah told her, glaring.

Camila shrugged, before leaving them when the stage manager stuck his head in and told her he wanted rehearse the song they were going to sing together.

"I love her," Dinah said, a smile on her face.

"This has been a great Honeymoon."

We're glad we got to share this with you two."

Dinah smiled back.

-

""o Mami!" Lauren shouted, as she waved at Camila who was off to the side.

Harry took the microphone. "Next up, we are going to have a special guest. The newest member of Syco, Camila Cabello!"

Camila walked out, her face red. She waved at the people in the crowd, and winked at her family.

"It's an honor to be here. It's my first time singing on stage."

Harry placed his arm on Camila's shoulder. "We'll be singing  _You Don't Know About Us_."

The music started.

[Liam:]  
People say we shouldn't be together, we're too young to know about forever  
But I say they don't know what they talk talk talking about, talk talk talking about

[Harry:]  
'Cause this love is only getting stronger, so I don't wanna wait any longer  
I just wanna tell the world that you're mine girl, oh

[Zayn:]  
They don't know about the things we do  
They don't know about the I love you's  
But I bet you if they only knew  
They would just be jealous of us

[Boys and Camila:]  
They don't know about the up all nights  
They don't know I've waited all my life  
Just to find a love that feels this right  
Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us

[Niall:]  
Just one touch and I was a believer, every kiss it gets a little sweeter

[Louis:]  
It's getting better  
Keeps getting better all the time girl

[Camila:]  
They don't know about the things we do  
They don't know about the I love you's  
But I bet you if they only knew  
They would just be jealous of us

[Boys and Camila:]  
They don't know about the up all nights  
They don't know I've waited all my life  
Just to find a love that feels this right  
Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us

[Camila:]  
They don't know how special you are  
They don't know what you've done to my heart  
They can say anything they want  
'Cause they don't know about us

[Niall:]  
They don't know what we do best  
That's between me and you, our little secret

[Zayn:]  
But I wanna tell 'em  
I wanna tell the world that you're mine girl

[Boys and Camila:]  
They don't know about the things we do  
They don't know about the I love you's  
But I bet you if they only knew  
They would just be jealous of us  
They don't know about the up all nights  
They don't know I've waited all my life  
Just to find a love that feels this right  
Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us

They don't know about the things we do  
They don't know about the I love you's  
But I bet you if they only knew  
They would just be jealous of us  
They don't know about the up all nights  
They don't know I've waited all my life  
Just to find a love that feels this right  
Baby they don't know about, they don't know about us

[Zayn:]  
They don't know about us

The crowd cheered, as the Camila took in the crowd. She liked the rush it gave her. She gave a wave and walked off stage to let the band finish their set.

She walked back to her family and laughed when Lauren jumped into her arms.

They all stood together, while they watched the concert come to an end.

-

"It was great meeting you," Liam said, giving Ally a hug.

"Next time we meet, we should go for dinner," Normani interjected, holding five signed posters from the band.

Harry gave Lauren a hug. "I'll give you another piggybank then."

"Yes," Lauren answered, going to hug Louis.

He had two rolled up posters. "I hear you have two wives. These are for them."

Lauren grinned and hugged him. "'ank you," she whispered in his ear.

Louis smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Of course. I do hope you listen to our music now."

Lauren grabbed the posters and nodded. "Yes."

"And thank you Camila, for signing ours," Liam said, holding out five other poster (when they heard Camila Cabello wanted to meet them, they asked for a poster to get signed. They wanted to be the first ones to have a signed poster from Camila Cabello.)

With final goodbyes, the four parents and Lauren left.

Once in the car, Camila let out a breath. "I met One Direction. Oh my god."

Two seconds later, Camila let out a scream, scaring everyone in the car.

Lauren grabbed a rolled up poster and hit Camila in the head. "No. Okay? No!"

Camila laughed, and soon everyone was laughing, before leaving to finish their honeymoon.

 


	86. Big Us, Little You (part 2)

 

Lauren and her family had been back home for two days. And she had been so excited to hang out with her wives. She had so much to tell them, and she had presents to give them.

So she had Dinah call Anna and Austin, only to be told both girls weren't home. They went out, together.

Lauren was disappointed, but she was happy her wives were hang out together.

-

It had been three days since Lauren asked Dinah to call her wives' parents. She asked Normani if she could visit her wives.

Normani suggested they call first. So she did. But neither girl was home. They had gone to the beach.

Lauren was sad again, and decided to just stay in her room for the rest of the day.

-

Two weeks passed, and Lauren hadn't seen either of her wives. Their presents were in the trash bin in her room. Lauren would just sit on the couch, stare at the television. Her mothers had become worried, and tried to talk to her, but Lauren would just ignore them.

They decided to bring in the big guns. Ally called Brittany, and Camila called Shawn, telling them that Lauren needed to see Hailee and Lucy soon.

They arrived the next day. Hailee and Lucy walked in, holding hands.

Lauren's eyes shifted to them, before turning back to the television. She didn't even know what she was watching.

"Hi Lauren," Hailee said, her voice happy.

Lauren gave them a small smile.

"We missed you," Lucy said, sitting next to the younger girl.

"I missed you," Lauren whispered, her eyes lighting up a little.

"Lucy and I were going to the park, if you wanted to come with us," Hailee said, a smile on her face.

"I, uh, okay," Lauren said nodding her head.

She stood up and went to ask her mothers. Dinah told Lauren to give them their presents, Lauren said she'd do it when they came back.

And off they were.

And it wasn't fun.

Hailee and Lucy sat on the swings, in their own world. They were giggling and giving each other kisses. Lauren sat on the play structure, watching them ignore her.

Lauren sighed, as she looked down. She could hear their conversation from her position.

"I really liked having sex with you," Hailee told Lucy, a blush on her face.

Lucy grinned. "It was the best I ever had. It meant the world to me."

Lauren frowned, not knowing what they were talking about. Everyone talked about 'sex.' She didn't even know what that meant.

Everyone was telling her to wait until she was older, but Lucy and Hailee weren't all that older than her and they 'had sex.'

Lauren climbed off the play structure, and decided to walk home. Lucy and Hailee wouldn't even notice if she was gone. It's not like they wanted to hang out with her anyways.

Lauren was lost in her head, that when she looked up, she didn't know where she was.

Lauren looked around, before walking back to where she came from.

-

"How did she leave if you were with her?" Dinah asked, a little angry but not raising her voice.

Hailee's eyes widened, as she looked down.

"We weren't paying attention to her," Lucy whispered, tears in her eyes.

Camila placed her hand on Dinah's shoulder. "Lauren has our numbers in her backpack. She just needs to find a phone."

(After losing Lauren in DisneyWorld, the mothers decided to keep their numbers in Lauren's backpack, that she carried everywhere.)

"Maybe we should buy her a cellphone," Normani commented, holding a worried Ally.

"She knows how to use yours," Camila whispered, looking at Dinah.

"We'll get her one."

"We, uh, sowwy?" Hailee whispered, her eyes clenched shut.

"I'm not angry," Dinah whispered, pulling Hailee for a hug, "I'm disappointed. If you two wanted to spend time alone, you shouldn't have invited Lauren out."

"Do you not want Lauren around anymore?" Camila asked, a small frown on her face.

"We still want her. We still love her," Lucy said, her eyes wide, "things just changed."

"Changed how?"

"Hailee and I, we, uh," Lucy stuttered, her cheeks turning red.

"You what?" Dinah asked, a confused look on her face.

"Yes?" Camila urged.

"Spend a lot of time together?" Normani suggested.

"Oh my god, you two did it," Ally whispered, her eyes wide.

Hailee hid her blushing face against Dinah's chest.

"Y-yeah. We, it happened, and it changed things," Lucy whispered, looking down.

Dinah was about to continue, when Ally's phone started ringing. Ally quickly got her phone and answered it.

"Lauren?" Ally asked, letting out a sigh, "do you know where you are? Stay there, okay? I love you."

Ally hung up and looked at the other five women. "Let's go get her."

-

Lauren was sitting on the play structure, swinging her legs. She was humming softly to herself.

She stopped when she saw Hailee and Lucy with her mothers.She looked away, not wanting to be with them. She climbed off the play structure and decided that she waned to go home, away from Hailee and Lucy.

If they didn't want her, then she didn't want to be their wife. She didn't need them. She didn't need them to hurt her.

"Lauren," Lucy whispered, taking a step towards Lauren.

The green eyed girl shook her head. "No. 'ome."

Lucy and Hailee took a step back, and Lauren walked to her mothers. They hugged Lauren, and took her home (Hailee and Lucy went too).

Once in the house, Lauren sat on the couch, while her mothers reprimanded her for leaving by herself.

"Why did you leave?" Normani asked, reaching over and pulled Lauren onto her lap.

"Dey no wan' me no mo'e," Lauren whispered, looking down at her lap.

"Why do you say that?" Hailee asked, her eyes wide.

Lauren shook her head. "You no 'ike me. I 'eave, 'ike o'd mommy an' daddy. I 'eave," Lauren whispered, curling up on Normani's lap.

"Lauren, we love you," Lucy said, taking a step towards the sad girl.

"'ai'ee and 'ucy 'aves ses. Ses on'y if love. Dey no love me," Lauren muttered, her sad green eyes looking up at Lucy and Hailee.

Dinah chipped in. "Lauren, sex is something you're not ready for. You're too young for that."

Lauren shook her head. She pointed to Lucy and Hailee, then to herself. "Dey 'ike me."

"Not really. Lucy and Hailee, their minds are older sometimes. They know more. Your heads aren't the same Lo."

"I dumb?"

"No, you're not. You're just mentally younger. Sex isn't for kids. You have to know what it means to be ready for it," Camila chipped in.

"I no 'et," Lauren whined, tears in her eyes.

"When two people love each other, they do things to make their bodies happy. They touch each other in places you aren't ready for. Hailee and Lucy, they knew what it meant, so they did what they thought they were ready for. You aren't ready Lauren," Ally whispered, "you'll be ready one day, but you aren't ready now."

"'oush whewe?" Lauren asked, a frown on her face.

"Maybe we can-" Dinah started to suggest, but was cut off by Ally.

"We're not showing her porn." She turned to Lauren. "You'll know where when you are older."

Lauren just felt more confused. She sighed. "No ses. No 'eady. 'oo liddle."

"You are. You don't need to worry about that."

"Can we talk to her alone?" Lucy asked, looking at Lauren's mothers.

Lauren nodded her head. Her mothers allowed the three girls walk to Lauren's room.

Hailee and Lucy sat on either side of Lauren.

"We're sorry Lauren," Lucy whispered, reach over and grabbing one of the younger girl's hands.

Lauren looked down at their intertwined hands, no responding.

"We didn't mean to ignore you. We  _love_  you, and we  _need_  you in our lives. You saved us," Lucy told her.

"You helped me deal with my fears. You helped me in ways my own moms couldn't. Lauren,  _I need you_  in my life. And I feel horrible that. We never meant to make it seems like we didn't want you. We just got stuck in our new stage of our relationship."

"Nothing and no one will ever replace you Laurie. You're stuck with us, forever."

"We are yours, Renny. You will always complete us," Hailee finished, holding Lauren's other hand.

It was silent for a while. Lauren sighed and stood up. She could feel Lucy and Hailee staring at her. She walked to her dresser and grabbed the other girls' presents. She then turned and walked to Hailee and Lucy. She gave them each their respected present.

Lauren watched as Hailee and Lucy opened their presents. When they looked up, Lauren gave them a small smile. "I love you. I be b-bi-big fow you."

Hailee and Lucy both shot up. "No!"

Hailee shook her head. " _Don't_ ever be something you're not for us."

"Always be Lauren. We don't want anyone except Lauren," Lucy said, looking into Lauren's eyes.

The younger girl smiled and nodded her head.

Hailee and Lucy gave Lauren a hug. "We're sorry and we love you," they both whispered.

"I love you."

-

Normani walked into Lauren's room and smiled. She watched as the three girls worked together to build a tower.

She turned and walked back to the living room.

"How are they doing?" Ally asked, frowning.

Normani nodded her head. "They are going to be fine. And Lauren is still our little girl."

Dinah sighed. "Good, I don't want her to grow up just yet."

"She'll have to," Camila whispered.


	87. Soup and Careers

 

Hailee and Lucy took Lauren out to many dates. They had so much groveling to do. They also bought Lauren things, coloring books, books, iTunes cards, CDs. Lauren liked the music.

Everything was going great.

Ally was cold. She curled up in a blanket, shivering. She closed her eyes, hoping she'd fall asleep.

Ally was hot. She kicked the blankets away. She closed her eyes again, hoping sleep would come.

Ally was cold.

"Mama?" Lauren's voice called out, causing Ally to open her eyes. She looked over to see Lauren staring at her. "No feel 'ood?"

Ally shook her head. "I'm sick," she said, her throat hurting.

Lauren nodded her head.

"You s'ay 'ere," Lauren told her, signaling for Ally to stay.

"Stay here?"

"Yes, h-here," Lauren repeated, before turning and running out of the room.

Ally smiled, before curling up. She closed her eyes, and was on the verge of sleeping when the shaking of the bed scared her awake. She jolted awake. She looked around, to see Lauren sitting on the bed next to her. Lauren also had her backpack that she took everywhere.

Lauren opened it and took out a stuffed lion. She then turned to Ally.

"Nala fow you. Nala ma'e me fee' 'ood. Nala ma'e you bedder," Lauren said, pushing the stuffed lion into Ally's arms.

Ally smiled and hugged Nala.

Lauren gave Ally a nod, before turning to her backpack. She grabbed her phone (an iPhone because it held Mami's songs, and she could play games and draw and call her mothers).

She did as her Ma taught her and played Mami's  _Llama Llama Red Pyjama_ song. It played softly, as Ally put the volume low.

Lauren then reached back into her backpack and took out her  _Llama Llama Red Pyjama_ book.

She opened it and then smiled at her mother. "I 'ead. S'eep, okay?"

Ally smiled at her daughter, curling up next to Lauren while the young girl opened the book. She looked to the first page, smiling.

"'ama 'ama, 'ed 'yama," Lauren read, (Camila was still helping her read. They got to the point where she knew words, Camila was just helping her say it correctly). "is aw'one wit'out his mama." Lauren giggled and kissed Ally's cheek. "Baby 'ama wan's a dwink. Bu' mama's ad da 'ishen sink."

She showed Ally the pages, who laughed.

Lauren then turned the page. She continued to read as much as she can. Ally fell asleep not too far into the book.

-

Lauren was coloring her Scooby Doo coloring book while her Mama slept. She looked over, to see Ally holding Nala. She smiled, before turning back to her book.

Lauren looked up to see Normani enter the room. Lauren shook her head. "No, out."

"But I have to check on your Mama."

Lauren shook her head. "I p'odecd 'er."

Lauren slowly got off the bed and pushed Normani out the room.

"'ood," Lauren said, patting her stomach.

Normani laughed and nodded. "I'll go make food, okay?"

Lauren nodded her head, as she closed the door and went back to the bed.

Ally groaned while Lauren climbed back to her spot. Lauren ran her hand through Ally's sweaty head, "Sssh, I here."

Once Ally looked peaceful, Lauren went back to her coloring.

-

Camila laughed. "She's not letting anyone in the room?"

Normani shoo her head. "She doesn't want anyone bothering Ally."

Camila smiled. "Do you know how Ally is doing?"

"She's resting. I'm hoping the soup will do her good, and allow Lauren to let me check her temperature."

"The flu hit her hard, didn't it?"

"We'll have to watch over Lauren to make sure she doesn't get hit next."

Camila smile, going back to cutting the vegetables.

"How is the music going?"

Camila grinned. "Great. Simon and Ariana think we can release a single soon. And start radio interviews. And Simon was able to get one of his other artists to collaborate with me to get more of a following. And I'm gonna see if Simon and One Direction will let me record  _You Don't Know About Us_  with them."

"Do you know who the other artists are?"

Camila shook her head. "He said he wants it to be a surprise, but he knows them and they are really great."

Normani smiled and nodded. "That's good. It's gonna suck for your fans, you are off the market."

Camila laughed. "Yeah, I'm happily married and have a kid."

"Are you going to talk about Lauren?"

"Of course. She's really important to me and she's my kid. I'm going to show her off to the world. I mean, my current followers love her, I'm sure the rest of the world will too."

"Mila, the world isn't very nice."

Camila sighed. "I know. I remember the whole zoo fiasco. But I'm not going to hide her. Simon and Ariana want to meet with all of us and discuss how the radio shows will happen. It may be my career, but you are all a part of it and have a say especially when it comes to Lauren."

"We'll have to redo the zoo trip, give Lauren a nice experience," Normani said, nodding her head, "Okay. I'm really proud of you Mila."

"I'm proud of me too. I actually made it."

"C'mon, let's get the soup ready before Lauren comes and reprimands us for not getting her or Ally food."

Laughing, Camila continued to cut the vegetables.

-

Lauren watched as Ally opened her mouth for the thermometer. 

"Wha's dat?"

Dinah looked at Lauren. "This is to check Mama's temperature."

"Why?"

"To make sure her body isn't too hot. If it's too hot, we have to take her to the hospital."

"Why?"

"Because it's really bad."

Lauren nodded. She pushed Dinah away when she saw her Ma reach for the thermometer. "I do."

Lauren took it and looked at the numbers. She frowned.

"That says 100.1. That's a 1 and that is a 0."

"Mama, you 'aves one, ze'o, ze'o, one. You 'onna die," Lauren told her mother, who laughed.

"No Lo, that's high, but not really bad. She just needs to rest."

Lauren nodded her head. "Okay. Mama, you s'eep. Nala ma'e you bedder. Okay?"

Ally smiled. "Okay, and will you stay with me?"

"Yes. I s'ay. Ma, out."

Dinah raised her hands, a grin on her face. "I'm leaving."

Dinah closed the door behind her. Lauren turned to her mother. "You no die. Yes?"

"I'm a little sick, I'll get better."

"'ood. I-I need you Mama. I love you."

Ally grinned. "I love you too."

"S'eep now. I be here."

The older woman curled up again and fell asleep.

-

"One," Lauren said, as she helped her Mama walk. It was dinner time and Ally wanted to leave her room. Lauren held her mother the whole time, not wanting Ally to fall.

"I'm okay," Ally whispered, before sneezing.

"No, I 'ake you."

Ally sighed, but allowed Lauren to lead her to the kitchen.

Normani smiled and kissed Ally's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. I have a great doctor."

Lauren grinned. "Mama no die. I saveded 'er."

Camila laughed loudly.

Dinah shook her head.

"Wha' dis?" Lauren asked, looking at the soup.

"It's soup, we had some when you were sick, remember?"

Lauren nodded her head. She looking over at her mother. "Need 'elp?"

Ally smiled. "I'm okay, thank you."

Lauren nodded her head.

She turned her attention to her food, ignoring the looks she was getting.

When Ally woke up feeling better the next morning, Lauren gave herself a pat on the back. She made her mother feel better. It was a job well done.

 


	88. Be a Lion

 

Lauren was scared. She remembered how mean people were mean when she went to the zoo.

"Don't you want to see the lions?" Ally asked, looking at Lauren.

The young girl shook her head. "Mean."

"We'll protect you," Dinah told the girl. "No one will hurt you, you know why?"

Lauren turned to Dinah, curiously.

"You are a lion. You just have to be a lion."

"Be a 'ion?"

" _Li_ on."

"I am  _lion_?"

"The best."

Lauren signed, before nodding. "I am lion. I bwave."

"Atta girl," Camila told her, kissing her head.

-

"Look Lauren, it's Mami," Dinah said, pointing to the orangoutangs.

Lauren scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

"Hey, those are cute!" Camila tried to defend.

"No Mami, no cute," Lauren said, shaking her head.

Camila huffed and turned to the orange monkeys. "So mean to me," she muttered.

"H-hi," Camila heard. She turned to see two girls standing there.

"Hey," Camila said, grinning.

"We, we are really big fans. We uh, we-" the shorter of the two girls stumbled out.

"We've been fans since you started posting on YouTube. We were really excited when we heard you were signed by Simon Cowell and then you got on stage with One Direction, we were so happy."

"A-and we, uh, we were hoping we could get a picture with you?"

Camila grinned. She nodded her head. "Let's take a picture in front of the orangoutangs, my wife says they are ugly."

The nervous girl's eyes widened. "W-wife?" The girl turned to Dinah, her eyes wide. "You got married?"

"Oh yeah, we got married when Ally and Mani got married."

"That's great. We were hoping you two would get married. You're adorable together."

Camila grinned. "Oh, that's my daughter, Lauren."

Lauren looked up, her eyes wide. (She was trying to read the map to find the lions, her people.)

"You have a kid? But she's like, our age and you're like our age."

Camila and Dinah laughed. "I'm 24, Lo is 17. But yeah, I didn't give birth to her, but she's our kid. Let's take a picture, yeah?"

The girls nodded their head. The taller, less nervous of the two gave their phone to Dinah, who took the picture (Lauren was being a little nosy girl and peeking at the phone).

Once they had enough pictures, Camila got the girl's names and signed the girl's maps (it was all the paper they had, they didn't know they were going to meet Camila Cabello).

"Thank you," the smaller girl said, grinning. They gave Camila, Dinah and Lauren a hug before running away, giggling.

"What did we miss?" Ally asked, holding out cotton candy.

Camila laughed, before telling her cousin what had happened.

-

"I am lion. I am lion. I am lion," Lauren whispered, standing in front of the lion enclosure, alone.

Her mothers were near the bench, resting their legs. They were also trying to figure out where the red pandas were. Ally had been dying to see one.

Lauren took a deep breath.

"Lion?" she heard a small voice ask.

Lauren looked over to see a little girl, maybe eight or nine, standing there.

"I, uh, yes?"

The girl's eyes widened. "That is cool."

"Yes."

The girl frowned. "Can you say anything else?"

"Yes."

The girl's smile reappeared on her face.

"I like lions."

"Me too."

The girl didn't respond, she just turned to the lions. Lauren exhaled, having been nervous. She turned to the lions.

"I like that one."

"Yes."

The girl frowned. "Are you sure you can say anything else?"

Lauren rubbed her hands against her pants, her eyes shifting around. "Yes?"

The girl stared at Lauren. She shrugged. "It's okay. I won't be mean."

"Y-you won'?"

The girl shook her head. "Mama and Daddy say I didn't talk until I was five. Some people have a hard time talking."

Lauren smiled. "I, uh, I 'awk."

" _Talk_."

"'alk?"

" _T_ alk."

" _Talk_."

The girl nodded her head. "Which lion do you like?"

Lauren pointed to the cub that was lying on his back, asleep.

"I like that one too."

Lauren grinned.

"Sarah, let's go," the girl's mother called, signaling for them to leave.

Sarah turned to Lauren. "Bye Ms. Lion."

Lauren smiled. "Bye."

The girl left, leaving Lauren alone. Lauren turned to the lions and smiled. "I am lion."

She looked at her mothers, who were walking towards her (having seen the interaction between Lauren and Sarah).

"Want to get some lunch?"

Lauren nodded her head. While holding Ally's hand, she walked away, smiling at the lions.

-

Ally pouted. The red panda was up on a tree, asleep. She wanted to see it awake.

"We'll come back," Normani told her wife.

"I want him awake now," Ally complained, looking up at her wife.

"He's probably tired."

"So am I?"

"How are you the oldest?" Normani asked, a smile on her face.

Ally stuck her tongue out. Normani laughed, and kissed Ally.

"Don't do that here."

Ally pulled away and looked over to see a woman with her kid. She was covering his eyes.

"What?"

"It's not normal."

Ally frowned. "What? Me kissing my wife?"

The woman looked disgusted.

"It's 2017. Unlike you, everyone else has moved forward."

"It's not natural."

Ally was about to respond, when she felt someone grab her hand. She looked over to see Lauren hold her hand.

"No Mama, she mean bish. I'nore," Lauren said, smiling at her mother.

Ally smiled at Lauren, her friends, and her wife, before turning to the woman. "You're right Lo. We shouldn't let a singleminded person ruin our day. Have a nice day. Hopefully no one ruins your day like you tried with us."

Ally pulled Lauren close, and together they walked away, all the bad energy behind.

-

"You said a bad word today, but we're going to let it pass," Ally said, kissing Lauren's forehead.

"Mama, p-people mean, bu' people nice, okay?"

Ally smiled. "Yes, there are nice and mean people. We ignore the mean ones."

"'ood. You 'earn."

"Yeah, I'll learn."

Lauren grinned and kissed Ally's forehead, before sitting back and putting her seatbelt on.

Ally stood up and turned to Normani.

"I love you."

Normani smirked. "I know, Shorty."

"Nevermind, I hate you. I'm getting a divorce."

"Ally is available, I want a divorce Mila."

Camila laughed. "I get Normani then."

Normani looked at Camila. She then turned to Ally. "Please don't divorce me. I don't want that thing."

"Hey!"

"Home!"

All four mothers turned to Lauren, who gave them a sleepy glare.

"The lion is sleepy, let's go home. I'll teach Normani a lesson there," Camila told the three women.

"Sure Shorty Number 2."

"Le's 'o p'ease!"

Laughing, the four mothers got into the car and drove home.


	89. Woof

 

Lauren bit her sandwich, while her mothers discussed something. She heard words like  _responsibility, friend, alone, gift_. She didn't know what was happening. It was Ally and Normani versus Dinah and Camila.

Lauren looked at Camila, who ran her hand through her hair. "It'll be good for her."

"What if she doesn't know how to take care of it?"

"We're going to teach her how to. She won't do it alone. Dinah and I will be helping her take care of it."

Ally sighed and looked at Normani. "Fine. We'll go after Lauren finished."

Lauren frowned. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't like not knowing. Not after last time.

She finished her sandwich, waiting for her mothers to tell her, but they were busy eating their own food.

Once she was done, she watched her mothers finish one by one. Normani got a napkin and started to clean Lauren's face. The young girl pushed Normani away.

"We have to get you cleaned up," Normani told Lauren, pushing Lauren's hands out of the way.

Lauren whined, and pushed Normani away. "No."

"Mami, 'ere?" Lauren asked, looking at Camila. She had protected her last time.

"We're going out," Camila asked, eating her fourth sandwich.

Lauren frowned. She could feel her heat beat hard against her chest. Her breath quickened. "No."

"Lauren, what's going on?"

Lauren's eyes filled with tears. She shook her head. "No 'o," Lauren whispered.

"You don't want to go?"

"I no know. I, no see o'd mommy an' daddy," Lauren said, her breathing heavily.

Normani looked to the other women who were frozen. Ally shot up quickly. She ran to Lauren and wrapped her arms around the girl who was on the verge of a panic attack.

"No, Lo, we aren't going to see them. We are going to the pet store," Ally whispered, rubbing Lauren's back.

"No 'akin' me back?" Lauren asked, while she leaned into Ally.

"No. You are with us forever," Dinah answered, giving the girl a smile.

Lauren nodded her head, while she took in the warmth of her Mama. Her breathing slowly went back to normal. Her mothers weren't taking her back to  _them_. They still wanted her. It was okay.

-

Normani smiled while she watched Lauren say "' _allo_ " to every animal in the store. Lauren even greeted the snakes.

"How long do you think it'll take before we leave?" Dinah asked, turning to Normani.

"I don't even know." Normani turned to Ally, who was cooing at the kittens. Camila was playing with the puppies. "I think it'll be harder to get our wives out of the store than our daughter."

Dinah laughed. "That is going to be fun."

Normani smirked. Ally grabbed a kitten and brought it to her face. She started to talk to it in a small, squeaky, baby voice. Normani shook her head, smiling at the love of her life. That was the woman she married. That was the woman who was going to bare her first child. That was the woman she was going to spend forever with.

Normani turned to look at Dinah, who was staring at Camila with a look of awe. Dinah's eyes were glued on Camila (face or butt, Normani didn't know). There was a small smile on Dinah's face. She was staring at Camila like she was the only person in the store.

"God I love that girl," Dinah muttered.

Normani smiled. "We are lucky."

"Yes we are."

-

Lauren walked to the kennels. She stopped in front of a puppy's house. She looked inside, seeing a cute puppy.

She stuck her finger inside. The puppy slowly walked up to Lauren and sniffled her. The puppy then licked her finger. Lauren grinned, turning to which ever mother was around her.

"Mommy, I wan' 'im," Lauren said, pointing to the puppy that had his paw against the door.

Normani looked inside. "He's cute."

"Mine."

Normani nodded. She told Lauren to wait. She then went to get a worker to open the cage to let them take the puppy out.

Once the puppy was in Lauren's arms, she hugged it. She giggled as the puppy tried to lick her face.

"I wan' 'im," Lauren whispered, giving the puppy a kiss on the top of it's head.

"Okay, I guess we found a dog."

Lauren squealed, jumping with the puppy in her arms.

-

Leo had a new home. His mother was nice. She was always giving him hugs, and he loved it. He liked sleeping with her. She kept him warm.

His mama's moms were trying to train him. He's laugh in his head. He could pee wherever he wanted. But his mama was trying to train him, and he'd allow it. Anything for the woman who saved him from that lonely place.

Leo barked, waking his mama up. The girl opened her eyes and smiled. "'allo Leo. S'eep 'ood?"

 _Bark_.

"Wan' 'ood?"

_Bark._

"Okay," Lauren responded, sitting up. She went to wake up her mothers.

Leo didn't eat unless his bowl was right next to his mama's. He liked being close to her.

He ate his food while Lauren ate hers.

"'ike i' Leo?"

 _Bark_.

Lauren leaned down to pet him, before turning to his food.

Leo looked over to see his grandma's watching him. They were smiling. He just went on to eat his food. As long as he was with his mama, he was fine.

-

"Cute," Hailee said, hugging the dog. She gave it a kiss on his head. "So cute."

"Yes."

"Wha's his name?" Lucy asked, her head little at the moment. Little Lucy and Little Hailee wanted to play with Leo.

"Leo," Lauren told them, proud.

Leo's ears perked up and he looked at Lauren. The green eyed girl opened her arms and the dog ran to them, licking her face.

"So cute," Hailee repeated, grinning at Lauren.

The girl giggled.

"My baby. Your baby," Lauren said, looking at her wives.

"Leo," Lucy called, which got the puppy's attention and he ran to Lucy.

"I love you Renny," Hailee said, (although Hailee was little at the moment, she was able to keep her 'r's.)

"Love you Haiz, Luce," Lauren said, grabbing the ball to roll.

Lucy leaned over and kissed Lauren's cheek.

"Leo Cabello-Hamilton-Vives-Kendrick-Snow," someone said from the door. They all looked up to see Camila standing there, a grin on her face.

"Das a lod," Lauren said, a frown on her face.

"Jus' Leo," Hailee said, grabbing the ball and rolling it to Lucy. Lauren nodded her head.

She was with family. She was happy.

But she did want to see her grandpas. Maybe she could take Leo. What could she learn from them? She was excited.


	90. Broken

 

Lauren was going to her grandfathers. Ally had to go back to work. Camila had some promoting to prepare before the release of her first single soon. Dinah and Normani had to prepare their classes for the new year. Anna had a show, Hailee was with Brittany, getting ready for the school year (and how to help the Littles earn a GED if they had not yet and help Lauren learn). Shawn and Austin were at work, and Lucy was in New York with her mother. Lauren's grandmothers were in Vegas, having a girls' weekend. Demi was at work, and Selena was trying to take care of Sydney and Chrissy.

That left Alejandro, Derrick, Jerry and Gordon.

Lauren was excited when she heard she was going to spend the day with her grandfathers. Her grandpapas. Her grandpotatoes. (Her Mami told her that papa meant potato in Spanish.)

Ally hugged Lauren. "Be good, okay?"

"Yes, I angel," Lauren responded, grinning. (Her mothers had been teaching her many things. It made Lauren really happy that she was getting smarter.)

Ally kissed her cheek before taking a step back, letting Dinah say her goodbye.

"Be 'ood," Lauren told her Ma.

Dinah laughed and narrowed her eyes. "I will be what I want."

"Bad 'inah," Lauren said, flicking Dinah's nose.

"Ow!"

"Be 'ood!"

"Okay!"

"I love you."

Dinah rolled her eyes. "I love you too."

"Leo!" Lauren called out, clapping her hands. When the puppy ran to her, she picked him up. "Bye."

"I don't get a kiss goodbye?"

Lauren sighed, she kissed Dinah's cheek goodbye, before skipping to the front door. She walked into Gordon's arms, Leo squished between them..

"Our little Lolo," he said, grinning.

Lauren waved at Dinah and Ally before entered the house.

Dinah shook her head, before driving away to drop Ally off before going to fix her classroom.

-

The four men and Lauren sat around the table. The men were playing Monopoly while Lauren dealt with the money and she watched the toys travel around the board. They were using the board game to teach her some math.

"Can I change a hundred to two?" Jerry asked, looking at the little girl.

Lauren grabbed the light yellowing paper and gave back two blue ones.

"Perfect," Jerry said, turning to Alejandro and throwing the bills onto his face. "There is my rent."

Lauren giggled.

Gordon rolled the dice and moved his top hat. "We are so much better than our wives. Lauren hasn't learned a single bad word, instead, she is learning how to do math."

Derrick laughed. "We should be the ones to take care of Lauren from now on." He turned to Lauren after getting a card from the middle of the board. "It says I get one hundred and twenty-five dollars."

Lauren bit her lip as she stared at the "bank". She grabbed the pink piece of paper. "Five." She grabbed a green one. "'wenty." She grabbed the pale yellow fake dollar. "'dred."

"Thank you," Derrick said, smiling at the girl.

-

Lauren giggled, as she slid down the slide. (After she got over her fear of the slide, she was able to get on it and slide down all she wanted.)

Her grandfathers decided to have a barbecue. Leo was off watering the plants.

"How many burgers do you want?" Alejandro asked, looking at Lauren.

"All dem!"

"We're giving you two," Derrick told the girl, who pouted.

"Okay," Lauren responded, a pout on her face.

Alejandro shook his head. He went back to make the patties.

Never in his life did he think he'd get a grandchild who was already a teen. He always imagined holding his first grandchild in his arms after his or her birth. He never imagined getting a sixteen year old grandchild so fast and at his age.

But he'd never change her for anyone. Lauren was the perfect grandchild. She was so cute and loving. She already had a special place in his heart, same as the other fathers. Lauren was special, and he was so excited to be in her life.

He grabbed a patty and placed it on a bread bun, before handing it to Gordon.

"Lauren, lunch is ready."

The girl ran on the play structure to get to the lunch table.

"Be care-"

Alejandro closed his eyes. No one close enough to catch her. He wasn't going to watch.

He heard a thump and silence. Lauren then started to cry.

Alejandro opened his eyes and saw Lauren holding her arm, that was obviously broken.

Three of the four men ran to Lauren. Alejandro turned the grill off and ran to Lauren, who was crying.

"What do we do?" Jerry asked Alejandro.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Camila is your daughter!"

"We gotta take her to the hospital," Alejandro said, panic in his voice.

"We have to call one of her mothers."

"Which one?"

"Not Normani, she scares me," Derrick said, shaking his head.

"Dinah?"

"Hell no!"

"Ally?"

"I love my daughter, but she can be scary."

"That leaves Camila," Gordon said, standing up and grabbing his phone.

"We're all going to die."

-

"That sounds great Camila," the producer said, as he pressed a button.

Ariana looked over when Camila's phone started to ring. She grabbed it and saw that it was the other girl's father. Ariana grabbed the phone and answered it.

"Mr. Cabello, hello," Arian said, grinning.

"Ariana? I-is Camila there, we need to talk to her," Alejandro said, his voice panicked.

Ariana nodded her head, before realizing that he couldn't see her. "Of course."

Ariana signaled for Camila. She waited for the other girl and handed her the phone.

"Que pasa Papi?" Camila's smile was wiped off her face. "I-I'll be right there."

She hung up her phone and with shaking hands, started to pack up her things.

"Mila?"

"I, uh, I have to go," she said, her voice trembling.

Ariana stood up and grabbed Camila by her shoulders. "Mila, what's going on?"

"L-Lauren is in the hospital. Dad just said he got hurt. I have to go," Camila said, tears in her eyes.

"I'm driving you."

-

Derrick rubbed his face. Camila was with Lauren while they figured out what had happened. Derrick could feel the tears well up in his eyes.

He looked up when he saw his daughter walk in.

"What happened Dad?" Normani asked, her voice soft.

"I-I, she was running and she tripped. She fell off the structure and fell onto her arm. She was crying and, we should have been watching her better," he said, his tears falling down his face.

Normani shook her head. "It could have happened with anyone. At least you didn't teach her a naughty word."

Camila then walked into the waiting room. "She's gonna be fine. She's gonna wear a cast for the next six to eight weeks. She's asleep right now."

"She's going to be okay?" Gordon asked, looking at his daughter-in-law.

Camila nodded her head. "Yeah. The doctors gave her some medication so she wouldn't hurt when they reset her bone. She's just sleeping it off now."

"You'll still be able to take care of Lauren. Just after her arm is fixed. We don't want her arm to get even more broken," Normani said, smiling.

"We're better than your mothers, right?" Gordon asked, looking at the two girl.

Normani and Camila looked at each other. "Sure."

 


	91. I Broke Singles

 

Lauren frowned at her cast. Her mothers told her she needed the cast to make sure her arm healed.

Lauren sighed, wanting to scratch it. But she was told that she couldn't.

-

"Mama, wan' off," Lauren complained, glaring at the white thing around her arm. She looked at Ally, but the older woman shook her head.

"Lo, do you know what happened to your arm?"

"Snap?"

Ally let out a small laugh. She shook her head. "Yeah, your arm broke. This is a cast, and it keeps your hand protected and straight. Can't have it break again."

Lauren pouted. "I wan' off."

"Two months. You need to have it for two months, maybe less. Your other mothers and I are here to help you okay?"

"Mama, I love you, okay?"

Ally nodded her head. "I love you too. Look at it this way, your Ma will have to do whatever you want."

"I boss?" Lauren asked, frowning.

"You'll be her boss," Ally responded, causing a small smirk to appear on Lauren's face.

"'ood. I boss." The girl turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Ally alone. The older woman shook her head. That girl sure was a small devil. But she wouldn't switch her for anyone else.

-

"Ma, 'elp me please," Lauren whispered, looking at Dinah.

Dinah nodded her head the helped Lauren cut open the mangos. She left the pieces on the plate, and stood up.

"Ma, no, 'elp," Lauren said, opening her mouth, waiting for Dinah to feed her.

"You have the other hand."

Lauren looked to her cast. She looked up at Dinah with watery eyes. "Owie."

Dinah sighed. "Fine, I'll feed you." Dinah sat down next to Lauren and started to feed her the mango pieces.

Lauren would giggle. Dinah wasn't sure if it was because she was killing the mangos or because she had Dinah doing her dirty work for her.

Dinah shook her head.

-

Lauren was learning on how to keep things clean. Washing her dish when she finished. Picking up after herself. But she couldn't, not with a broken arm. She placed her plate into the sink and turned to Dinah.

"Ma," she said pointing into the sink.

"You have to wash it yourself."

Lauren frowned. She pointed to her cast. "Ma."

Dinah sighed. "Am I gonna do everything for you?

Lauren nodded. "Yes."

Dinah shook her head and laughed. "You are lucky you love me."

"Yes."

-

Lauren glared at the bag. She looked at Normani. "Why?"

"So your cast won't get wet. We can't get it wet."

Lauren sighed. She couldn't play with the rubber duckies.

"Tilt your head back."

Lauren did as she was told and closed her eyes. She could feel her mommy scrub her scalp.

"I like dat," Lauren muttered.

Normani smiled. "I did too when I was small. Grandma Barbara gave me the best baths."

Lauren opened her eyes when Normani gave her the okay.

"We see G'amma Bababab soon?"

Normani nodded. "Yeah. She'll be happy to see you."

Lauren grinned. "I like G'amma Bababa. She funny."

"She is. And she loves you."

"Mommy, I love you."

Normani smiled softly, "I love you too."

-

_Dinah Jane Cabello: When your wife doesn't let you listen to her debut single early._

Ally turned to Dinah. "Did you really tweet that?"

Dinah nodded her head. "It's not fair. Ariana and Simon got to hear it early."

"Lauren also heard it," Normani said.

Lauren looked up (Ariana was drawing a stick person with bunny ears on her cast).

"Mama love me more."

"I can see that," Dinah muttered, pouting.

Camila rolled her eyes and pressed her lips against Dinah's.

"Two more hours," Simon said, alerting everyone in the room.

"Are you sure we can't listen to it?" Ally asked, also wanting to hear the song.

Simon shrugged. "It's your choice Camila."

"What's it called anyways?" Austin asked, frowning.

"I've tweeted the name like seven times!"

"And I've ignored all seven."

Camila glared at Austin.

Shawn looked at Anna and Brittany. "I'm sure if Mila and Austin were straight, they'd either be together or worse enemies."

"Didn't they date?" Brittany asked, frowning.

"Oh yeah. Hey, aren't you guys going to California?"

Normani nodded her head. "Yeah, for a week for some promotion and we're gonna take Lauren to see California beaches."

"Are you gonna visit Becky and her girlfriend?"

"Probably," Camila answered, placing headphones on Dinah's head.

"Why does she get headphones?" Anna asked, pouting.

"Everyone is listening, I just want Dinah to listen to it differently."

"Favoritism!"

Hailee looked at Lucy. "Who are the children?"

Lucy laughed, before pulling Lauren onto her lap.

"Dwaw!" Lauren squealed, giggling.

"What do you want me to draw?"

"Leo?"

Lucy grabbed a Sharpie and started to draw.

"Play it!" Normani shouted, causing Hailee to jump.

"Bad mommy!"

"I'm just excited."

"Play the song Aunt Mila,"  
Hailee said, smiling at Camila.

Taking a deep breath, Camila pressed play.

_You think, that you'll die without him_   
_You know, that's a lie that you tell yourself_   
_You fear, that you'll lay alone forever now_   
_It ain't true, ain't true, ain't true, no_

_So put your arms around me tonight_   
_Let the music lift you up_   
_Like you've never been so high_   
_Open up your heart to me_   
_Let the music lift you up_   
_Like you've never been this free_   
_'Til you feel the sunrise_   
_Let the music warm your body_   
_Like the heat of a thousand fires_   
_The heat of a thousand fires_

Ally closed her eyes as she listened to the song. She smiled.

The three minutes ended fast, and the room was silent.

Dinah pulled the headphones off and stared at Camila.

"So what did-"

Camila didn't finish as Dinah pulled her in for a kiss.

Dinah pulled away. "You are so getting lucky tonight."

Camila grinned. She gave Dinah a short kiss before turning to the other people in the room. "So?"

"The song was great," Brittany said. "I'm gonna have to buy it in three hours."

"Gonna make sure all my coworkers promote this," Anna said, already on her phone.

"Didn't know you could sing," Austin responded, smirking.

"We're proud of you Mila," Shawn told her.

Camila turned to Ally and Normani. Their comments mattered the most (with the exception of Dinah).

"We were right. You are going to rock everyone's lives. We are so proud of you Mila," Normani said.

Ally stared at Camila for a second. "You aren't my baby cousin anymore. You aren't that little girl who I'd cuddle with because you were scared. You've grown up and did what you wanted even thought there were moments giving up was the easy thing to do. You Camila Cabello, you are special. And I can not wait to hear people scream you name."

"I do that all the time."

"Dinah!" Camila shook her head and wrapped her arms around her older cousin. "I love you."

Ally smiled. "I love you too. Now play that song again."

Camila pressed play with a grin.

-

One minute until midnight and the song launched. Camila looked around the room. Lauren, Lucy and Hailee were asleep on the ground. Normani and Ally were on the couch talking. Anna was practicing her lines for her next show with Brittany.

Austin was playing with the producer's board. Shawn was in the booth singing, badly (on purpose).

Ariana was on the phone with someone. (A significant other, Camila had to ask about that.) Simon was ordering them some food.

Camila leaned back into Dinah. "I love you."

Dinah pressed her lips on the back of Camila's head. "I love you too. Look, three seconds."

Camila watched as the clock hit 12:00 am.

Her song was available. And her dream officially started.


	92. Radio Show

 

Chelsea Briggs was told she would be interviewing a new artist. She was barely starting and wanted to do great. She looked over the sheet to the blacklisted questions and what was on the table.

_Camila Cabello, 24. Married to Dinah Jane Cabello, a school teacher. Mother to Lauren Cabello-Hamilton, 17._

That confused Chelsea. If Camila was Lauren's mother, then Camila had to be seven when she gave birth. Lauren wasn't blacklisted, so Chelsea was able to ask about it. Chelsea wasn't the first person to interview Camila. She was sure anyone would want to know about Lauren. She was going to listen to the interview to see how it went and to get a feeling about the girl.

Chelsea was doing her homework before her interview, which was set in a few hours. She listened to Camila Cabello's songs over and over again, her official single and the songs she had posted on YouTube before hand.

" _I see you brought your family,_ "the interview, Josh or something, asked.

Chelsea smiled as the camera panned over to see four women off in the side. The tall blond one had the biggest smile, and probably Camila Cabello's wife. There was an adorable teenager, long brown hair with green eyes. Chelsea assumed that was Lauren. She could see the look of wonder on her face.

" _My wife, Dinah, my cousin, Ally, and my best friend, Normani. And my little girl, Lauren,"_ Camila responded, a grin on her face.

"Isn't she a little too old to be your child?"

Camila nodded her head. " _She's not my biological daughter. But she's still my daughter._ "

" _I've read that Lauren isn't like most kids?_ "

Camila shook her head. " _She's physically seventeen, but mentally she's about four. We've been helping her mentally grow._ "

The interview had a frown on his face. " _How does that happen? Is that part of that sexual thing people do?_ "

Chelsea could see the tensed look on Camila's face. " _What we have with Lauren is not sexual by any means. Growing up, her birth parents kept her locked up. So when we found of her, Lauren was too mentally stunted._ "

The interview nodded his head. " _So there is nothing sexual?_ "

" _No_."

Josh smiled. " _Is this some type of publicity stunt? To make you an angel?_ "

Camila blinked a few times, her mouth opened. She looked over to Dinah.

" _She's_ seventeen _. It's_ not _sexual. I would never take advantage of a child. This is no a publicity stunt. Lauren is my kid. And if you are_ not _going to respect that, then this interview is over_."

" _This is your first interview ever. Don't you want it to be good? This kind of makes you like bitch._ "

" _I am not being a bitch. I am being a_ mother _. And if you aren't going to respect me or my daughter, then there is nothing left to talk about. Thank you for your time, but it is time for me to go,_ " Camila said, standing up. " _And please don't ask to interview me again._ "

Josh looked shocked. He stood up. " _Camilla._ "

" _Goodbye Jake_."

" _It's Josh_."

" _Yeah James._ "

The video came to an end, and Chelsea let out a small laugh. "You go girl," she whispered, smiling. She looked at the paper on the table and started to write her questions.

-

Camila rubbed her face. "If this is another  _Jonah_ situation, I swear-"

"Mila, calm down. I'm sure things are going to be okay," Dinah whispered, kissing the girl's cheek.

"Do you think it's okay we brought Lauren? I don't want her to hear anything in case this interview decides to be a bitch," Camila muttered, pressing herself against Dinah.

"Ally and Normani are here. That is why we are here. To take care of Lauren and to take care of you," Dinah whispered, leaning forward and kissed Camila's lips.

"Hello," a blond woman said, walking in. Camila sat up while Chelsea Briggs sat in front of her. 

Dinah moved to walk away, but Chelsea shook her head. "No, stay. This is an interview about Camila and those that matter to her. The reason for this album's creation."

Camila blinked a few times, (something she did when she was shocked.) She looked at Dinah, who sat down.

"I, uh, Lauren and your cousin and your best friend can join us too," Chelsea said, giving Camila a small smile.

The second Chelsea said that, Lauren rushed into the room and sat on Dinah's lap, giggling. She looked at Chelsea and grinned.

"'allo," she said, her green eyes staring at the blond woman.

"Hello. I'm Chelsea, I'm going to interview your mother, is that okay?"

Lauren looked to Camila. The other woman just smiled. Lauren turned back to Chelsea. "Yes p'ease."

Chelsea smiled. She nodded to the cameras. She smiled.

"We are here with rising star Camila Cabello and her family," Chelsea said, pointing to the people in front of her.

Camila smiled into the camera.

"Hello," Camila said.

Lauren perked up. "'allo," Lauren said, waving into the camera.

Chelsea smiled. She turned to Camila. "So, your first song, how did that come to be?"

Camila grinning. "That song, along with my other ones are from moments in life. Some happy, others not. Just like every relationship, it's not always happy. So I use my music as an outlet."

Lauren nodded, as if saying, yup, that is true.

Chelsea had a grin on her face. "Will their be an album? Because this song is amazing. I am excited to see what you are going to put out."

Camila smiled softly. "Yes, well, I am currently working on it. I have a few features lines up. And a few songs already recorded."

"Can we find out who these features are?"

Camila smirked. "I can't really give that out. But I can say that they are amazing artists and I am honored to work with them."

"I saw a video of you on stage with One Direction, is that who you will be working with?"

Camila shrugged, grinning.

"Will you be touring?"

"Yes, summer. When school is out and Lauren can come with. Simon and I spoke about it," Camila said, smiling.

"How long have you had Lauren?" Chelsea asked, turning to the girl who was leaning against Dinah.

"Not long actually.  A few months. But it feels longer."

"Did you officially adopt her?"

"This is where things get a little weird. So, Dinah and I are her mothers. But so are Ally and Mani. But we aren't in a four way relationship. Dinah and I are married, and they are married. We're all just raising Lauren, and we are all her mothers. Only two of us can adopt her, but then that would take away from the other two. Lauren is almost eighteen. And a piece of paper means nothing. She is all our little girl, and that is all that matters."

Chelsea nodded. "Tell me about your marriage. You're both twenty four, right?"

Dinah sat up. "I proposed. It's online if you want to see it. Lolo here has two wives."

Lauren nodded. "Yes, Luce an' Haiz. I love," Lauren said, staring at her hand.

Chelsea grinning. "I'll make sure to check that out. I'm sure it was adorable."

"Yes," Lauren responded, grinning.

"Ally, you must be very proud," Chelsea said, involving the silent pair.

Ally nodded her head. "Yeah. Camila always loved music. She always wanted to be in the music business. Getting to see her now, living her dream, it makes me very happy."

"Normani, did I say it right?"

The woman in question nodded. "Yes, you got it right."

Chelsea grinned. "I read that you are a dancer, any plans to be one of Camila's dancers?"

Normani and Camila looked at each other. "Other than the time, I haven't really talked about touring. But Mani, I'd love for you to be a part of it. But I do know you teach too."

Normani grinned. "We got time."

"Before you came here, I saw the last interview you did," Chelsea started, looking at Camila.

The singer laughed. "With Jeff? Yeah, I'm a diva."

Chelsea shook her head. "He's a dick. Jack was a douche. He tried to lessen what Lauren means to you. I can see that you love her very much and she loves you just as much."

"Yes, love Mami," Lauren interjected, nodding her head.

Chelsea grinned. "I want to open this to all of you, but is there anything you want to say about your situation and about Lauren?"

Ally sat up. "Lauren is our whole world. This isn't to get sympathy. We could've kept this in the dark, but Lauren is not a secret. We are not ashamed of her."

"People were going to find out about her anyways. When you're in public's eyes, its really hard to keep things a secret. Lauren is our happiness. We will try to protect her, and show the world that kids like her deserve protecting as well," Normani added.

"There are others. Lauren isn't the only one. They aren't loss causes. Sure, you need to put more work, but they are worth it. Sure Lauren is a little shit to me, but I love her very much," Dinah said, looking at Lauren who flashed her a grin.

"I will walk out if anyone talks negative of her. She is my priority. She comes before my career. The second her mental health becomes a problem, I will walk away. I don't care."

Chelsea smiled. "I will be right there for you. I will be behind you."

Lauren gave Chelsea a nod. "'ood. Mami, I like 'er," Lauren said, pointing to the woman.

"Do you even know what she's talking about?" Dinah asked, frowning at Lauren.

"No," Lauren responded, shaking her head.

Dinah laughed. "God I love you kid."

Chelsea grinned. "That's all we have time for today. Don't be afraid to come to me or tweet at them. You are all lovely women and I love your music Camila. I am a fan."

"Thank you. This was a wonderful change from Jeremy's interview."

Chelsea grinned. The camera cut and she stood up. "It was a real please to meet you. I wasn't lying when I said I was a fan."

Camila nodded her head. "Thank you for having me."

"And Lauren is just adorable."

"Nuh-uh, I 'aves wives," Lauren said, her arms wrapped around Dinah.

Chelsea grinned. "Damn. I'd love for you to be my wife."

"Sowwy," Lauren muttered, smiling at Chelsea.

With final goodbyes, the girls walked out of the building.

"How are you feeling?" Dinah asked Camila, while Normani and Ally distracted Lauren.

"So much better. I feel better about my career. I have you guys, and that's all that matters."


	93. California

 

"Mila!" Camila heard, causing her to look around, before seeing a familiar face. They had arrived in California for the weekend, before going back home, as part of Camila's small radio tour. California was the last stop before they went back to Miami.

"Becky!" Normani exclaimed, running to the younger girl. (Although Becky was Camila and Dinah's age, the girl was closer to Normani.)

Becky and Normani shared a hug in the middle of the airport. Camila smiled, as she and Ally carried their bags. Dinah was dragging Lauren who was still half-asleep. (Traveling to the other side of the country was tiring.)

"Hey Becky," Camila greeted, moving to hug the girl.

Ally greeted her after, while Dinah just smiled. "Sup Gomez."

"You're staying with me right?" Becky asked, turning to Normani.

"If you'll have us," Normani answered, smiling softly.

Becky nodded. "Great. I think we should go so Lauren has a bed to sleep on. Don't worry, Austin told me everything I need to know." She reached over and helped with the bags before leading them out to the car.

-

Naomi Scott had met Becky when the younger girl moved to California for school. The girl had been so cute, Naomi couldn't not talk to her. They were friends for two years before the younger girl decided to ask the older girl out. The rest was history.

And now, six years later, she was finally meeting someone of Becky's friends, a future pop star that made Naomi excited. She had been studying up on the friends. She listened to Camila Cabello's songs. She watched Normani Hamilton's dance videos. She read Ally (Hernandez) Hamilton's articles. She looked at all of Dinah Jane (Hansen) Cabello's social media posts. In short, she stalked them. The only person she knew nothing about was Lauren, and she was nervous about that.

Naomi wanted Becky's friends to like her. And from the interviews she had seen, she knew Lauren was a deal breaker.

She jumped when she heard the door open. She stood up and looked down at her own clothes, making sure she was presentable.

"Na, I'm home!"

Taking a deep breath, Naomi walked to the entrance and smiled. "Welcome."

She saw five people standing in front of her (with one girl sleeping on the tallest woman's back).

"Good job Becky, she's beautiful," Camila Cabello said, grinned. "Hi, I'm Camila Cabello. Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure," Naomi said, her hands shaking at her sides.

"Don't be nervous, we don't bite," Ally Hamilton said, before shrugging. "Most of us anyways."

"It was one time!"

"Dinah Jane, hush before you wake Lauren up," Ally scolded, before turning back to Naomi. "Thank you for letting us use your home instead of a hotel."

"It's no problem. Hey, maybe whatever Camila uses I can sell on ebay," Naomi said, smiling.

Normani let out a laugh. "I like you. Why didn't we think of that?"

"We have a lot at home? How much do you think Camila's engagement ring will sell for?"

Camila gasped. "Dinah, you gave me that ring!"

Lauren let out a whimper, as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hey Lo, you're awake?"

Lauren nodded her head as she let out a yawn. "Mama loud."

Lauren's green eyes were wide opened and looked at Naomi. "'allo."

"Hey Lauren, I'm Naomi, I'm a friend of a friend of your moms," Naomi said, taking a step towards the group. "Are you hungry? I made lunch."

Lauren nodded her head. "Yes please."

Naomi grinned, nodding her head, leading them to the table.

"Time to get off," Dinah told Lauren.

Lauren tightened her grip. "No."

Dinah rolled her eyes but walked to the kitchen.

-

Naomi and Lauren were building a sandcastle while Ally, Normani and Becky caught up. Camila and Dinah were at an interview (the reason they were in Los Angeles.

"How have you been?" Normani asked Becky, looking at the other girl.

Becky grinned. "Great. I mean, the acting hasn't taken off, but Naomi and I are happy."

Ally nodded her head.

"How's Austin? He's still happy with Shawn?"

"They are great. They have a daughter," Ally said, smiling.

Becky's eyes widened as she grinned. "That is great. Is she a little girl or is she like Lauren?"

"I have to visit you guys," Becky said, watching Naomi and Lauren. "What's her name?"

"Lucy, you haven't talked to him?"

"Not like we used to. We just text happy birthdays. And he called to tell me about you guys. But we haven't really spoken much."

"Oh, well Lucy and Lauren are girlfriends with another girl, Hailee. But don't let them hear your call them girlfriends, they are  _wives_ ," Normani said, grinning.

Becky laughed. "I have to meet Lauren's wives."

Before anyone else could say anything, Lauren ran to them, with Naomi walking behind them.

"Mama!" Lauren exclaimed, pointing to the top of the cliff. "Mama, 'ook, Ma and Mami!"

Ally and Normani looked at each other, before standing up. "Is that-"

"-I think so. Oh my god, someone is going to get hurt."

"This is a bad idea," Naomi said, while they all watched people jump of the cliff.

-

Dinah rubbed the tears out of her eyes, while Normani rubbed soothing ointment on her thighs. Ally was dealing with Camila. Naomi and Becky were ordering dinner.

"This is what you get for being an idiot," Normani said, shaking her head.

"S'upid head," Lauren muttered, shaking her head.

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "Don't be mean, I'm hurt."

Lauren raised her hand and slapped Dinah's thigh, making her scream in pain. "S'upid."

"Hey Lauren, why don't we go learn Spanish?" Becky suggested, a hug smile on her face.

Lauren nodded her head. She turned to Dinah. "Idiot."

Lauren ran off. Dinah gasped, turning to Normani. "Did you hear her?"

Normani shook her head. "You deserve it."

Dinah was about to just sleep, when she felt Normani slap her thigh.

"Bitch!"

-

"Como estas?"

"Puta."

Becky's eyes widened, as she stared at the girl. "That's bad."

"Dat's Spanis'," Lauren answered, nodding her head.

"The answer is bien."

"Bien puta."

Becky laughed, as she shook her head.

"Do you like the Power Rangers?"

Lauren nodded. "Yes. I like Lion King."

"Can I keep you?" Becky asked the younger girl, who seemed to think about the answer.

"No."

Becky shook her head. "Do you like California?"

"Yes. Nice." Lauren looked at Becky.

Becky smiled softly. "I miss Miami. I wish I could go home sometimes. I'm so far away from my friends and family?"

"'o home?"

"Naomi liked California. And sometimes, if you love someone, you have to make some sacrifices."

"Why?"

"To make them happy. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices or you have to let them go, you know?"

"No. I 'aves wives," Lauren said, nodding her head. "I love dem. Dey mine. Aww mine."

Becky grinned. "I heard. How did you meet them?"

"Uncle Ausy and 'awny and Auntie B'itt an' Anna."

"Oh, and when did you get married?"

Lauren shrugged. "Yes."

Becky laughed.

"Are you going to have a wedding?"

Lauren nodded her head. "Yes. Wedding. Wit' my loves."

"Am I invited?"

"Yes. Auntie B and Auntie Na invided."

"Maybe we'll move there," Naomi said from the doorway, causing Becky and Lauren look over. "Can I talk to Becky alone?"

"Okie." The little girl stood up and walking out the room, leaving Naomi and Becky alone. She saw Dinah asleep on the couch, alone.

Lauren looked around, but saw no one. She shrugged and walked to the couch. She laid in front of her mother and moved her arm so Dinah was holding her.

"Love you Ma," Lauren whispered, snuggling into Dinah.

The older woman smiled in her sleep and held Lauren tighter. "Love you Lo."

Lauren closed her eyes and fell asleep.

-

The trip ended too quickly. Naomi and Becky were at the airport with Lauren and her mothers. They had borrowed one of their friends, Dacre Montgomery's jeep to fit everyone.

"So, until we come visit again?" Camila suggested, hugging both women.

"Well, after a talk, Becks and I decided to move to Miami. Her family is there. Maybe we can find work there."

Normani grinned, throwing herself into their arms. "That is great! We can show you all the best places!"

"And we get to meet Hailee and Lucy."

After promises to keep in touch more, the Cabello-Hamilton family left.

"Dacre, RJ and Ludi said they want to move too."

"Guess we're all going."


	94. Dance Dance

Normani was nervous. She had been entered into a competition, a small one, but one never the less. It was a couples dance, and she hadn't even met her partner.

She asked Ally if she wanted to be her partner, and the older woman just laughed. "Do you want to lose?"

Shawn ended up telling her he knew the perfect guy to be her partner.

So she and her family were at Lauren's favorite ice cream parlor (the girl was eating it) while they waited.

Lucy, Shawn, Austin, and a new guy walked in. Shawn and the guy walked to the girls, while Austin took Lucy to get some ice cream.

"Girls, this is Valentin, Val, this is Normani, her wife Ally, that's Camila, Dinah and Lauren."

Val turned to Normani and Ally. Then to the other girls. "It's nice to meet you.

Normani smiled and shook the guy's hand.

-

Normani had loved dancing. She had been dancing since she was a child. And she had much to learn.

As a child, she always dreamed of being one of the Dancing With the Stars pros. She ended up teaching, which was okay. She loved it and seeing the look on her students' faces when they got a move right.

Although she did wish she could have made it as a big time dancer.

But like Camila, her family came first. If keeping her family safe and happy, then her dreams could wait.

Lauren was sitting next to the mirror while Normani and Val practiced.

"I'm not getting it," Normani said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"You're doing great. It's just that one part," Val responded, grabbing his water bottle.

"Let's try it again," Normani said, rolling her shoulders.

Val stood in front of Normani and tried the whole dance again.

It was going great, until that one turn.

"Fuck!" Normani exclaimed, eliciting a gasp from Lauren.

"Mommy say fuck," Lauren said, shaking her head.

Val grinned. "You said it too Laur."

Lauren gasped again, before narrowing her eyes at her mother. "Bad mommy. Bad, uh, bad inf'uence."

"Yeah mommy, you're a bad influence," Val teased, sitting down next to Lauren.

The young girl nodded her head. "Bad."

Val turned to Lauren. "Your mommy thinks she can't do it, why don't you tell her she can?"

Lauren nodded her head. "You do 'ood Mommy. Make me p'oud."

Normani smiled softly, as she nodded.

"Get your ass over here Val, we're trying this again," Normani said, a new determination in her.

Val grinned and stood up. He winked at Lauren, as he went to start his dance with Normani again.

Lauren clapped her hands and giggled, as she watched Normani danced.

Normani let out a breath when the dance was over. She grinned at Val. "We are going to win this."

Val smirked. "We got this. Ally is going to lose her, you know, when she sees this."

-

Normani took a deep breath. She could hear the crowd outside the curtains. She took a another breath.

"Nervous?" she heard, causing her to look over at her dance partner.

"I haven't been in front of that many people in years. I usually just teach kids."

Val nodded. "Yeah, as great as that is, this is your calling. You deserve to be out there."

"I'm going to be okay," Normani whispered, closing her eyes.

"You are. The only people who matter are your wife, your child. Your friends. Your family is all that matters. They are the people you should only think of impressing," Val said, placing his hand on Normani's shoulder. "You got this. Lauren knows it. Ally knows it. Camila and Dinah know this. I know this. It's just you that has to believe it."

Normani nodded her head. "I got this."

Normani heard her name being called. She took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

-

A princess. Beautiful princess. That's what Lauren saw, while she watched her mother dance with Val. She had a huge smile on her face, as she watched Normani twirl.

"Mommy is pwetty," Lauren whispered, her eyes glued on her mother.

Ally smiled. "She is."

Lauren looked over at Ally to see tears in her eyes. She reached over and wiped the tears.

"Sad?"

Ally shook her head. "I'm proud."

"Me too. I love Mommy."

"I love her too."

-

Normani let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She bowed, taking in the cheers.

She could hear her family scream.

"Mani!"

"Mommy!"

"Yes Queen!"

"Have my babies!"

Normani snorted. Val raised an eyebrow, as he bowed himself. He lead Normani off the stage, before dying of laughter.

"Have my babies?"

"We tried to put a muzzle in her, but it never worked."

Val laughed. "I really want to be friends with Dinah. She sounds like she would be a joy to be around."

"She is something."

"You did great. You were at home. It was amazing."

Normani grinned. She went to sit down until the winner was going to be announced.

It wasn't long until everyone stood in a line. The announcer was standing in front of them, facing the crowd.

Third place was announced.

Second place was announced.

Normani took a deep breath.

"And first place, is, who the judges voted for," the announcer dragged out.

"Hurry up and say it!"

Normani laughed at Anna's shout.

"Normani Kordei and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, you are our winners!"

Val turned and wrapped his arms around Normani, laughing. "We did it! I told you we had this!"

Normani just laughed, as she felt his arms around her.

Normani pulled away, only to be attacked by another hug.

"Mommy," the person whispered, hugging Normani close.

The older woman hugged her back. "Want to get the trophy with me Lo?"

Lauren nodded her head. Normani, Lauren and Val went to get the trophy. They held it over their head.

-

Normani grabbed her jacket and hit Dinah with it. "This is where Lauren learns it!"

Dinah smirked. "Yeah, well, she's going to learn where babies come from anyways."

Lauren frowned. "Babies? Luce an' Haiz haves my babies. Whewe 'ome fwom?"

Ally turned to Dinah. She raised her fist.

Dinah crouched over in pain, holding her left boob, "Ow!"

Lauren giggled. She turned back to Hailee and Lucy, who were blushing.

"Yeah, well Lucy and Hailee aren't going to have Lauren's babies  _any_  time soon," Austin said, shaking his head.

Camila turned to look at him. "You do know-"

"We don't talk about that," Brittany interjected, shaking her head.

"If anything happened, we don't know."

"Luce an' Haiz haves ses," Lauren said, nodding her head.

The four parents froze, their eyes wide.

"Dey do a lod."

" _Oh_ kay, we aren't talking about that," Lucy said, while Hailee covered Lauren's mouth.

"C-can we forget about this?"

"We aren't forgetting about my win," Normani muttered. "Today is about me."

Ally smiled and leaned into Normani. "Yes it is. We are so proud. We love you."

Val cleared his throat.

"You both did well you jealous idiot," Shawn said, rolling his eyes.

Normani kissed Ally. "You know why we won?"

"Why?"

"I just imagined I was dancing with a taller version of you."

Ally smiled and kissed Normani again. "I love you so damn much."

"I love you too."


	95. Color Outside the Lines

 

Lauren giggled as Leo tried to lick her face. She tried to push him away, but the puppy didn't stop.

"Lo?" a small voice whispered, causing the girl to turn. She saw Chrissy standing here, a stuffed animal in her arms.

"Chwissy," Lauren responded, grinning. "Dis Leo."

Leo barked, his tail wagging quickly.

"I play too?" she asked in a small voice.

Lauren patted the spot next to her, while she turned to her puppy. Chrissy sat cross-legged on the ground, and started to giggle as Leo tried to lick her face as well.

The younger girl was rubbing the puppy's head. Lauren sat there and watched.

"Wh-where Syd?" Lauren asked.

"She wit' Chris," the girl responded, as she kissed the puppy's forehead.

Lauren frowned. The only Chris she knew was her Chris. Before she could ask, Selena called them for lunch.

Both girls stood up and walked to the kitchen.

"Where's Nala?" Selena asked, as she placed a sandwich in front of the two.

"Wit' Haiz. She at d-do-dot-"

"The doctor?"

Lauren nodded her head. "Yes. She s'ared. Nala p'otect her."

Selena smiled.

Chrissy started to eat her sandwich.

Demi walked in and sat at the table. Lauren looked up with a grin. "'allo."

"Hey Lo, you're being good, right?"

The young girl nodded.

"And how is your arm?"

Lauren showed Demi her cast. "It good. It no 'urt."

Demi nodded her head. "That is great. You'll be able to take it off soon."

Lauren nodded, as she continued to eat her sandwich. She turned to Demi.

"Wha's dat?" she asked, pointing to the drawing on Demi's arms. She had always noticed them, but never got around to ask.

"These are tattoos."

Lauren bit her sandwich and nodded. "'ave lots?"

Demi pulled up her sleeve some more. "Yeah, I like getting them. Do you want a tattoo?"

Lauren gasped, as she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes please," she said, offering her arm.

"I'll grab a pen."

Lauren turned to Chrissy. "I 'et one."

Chrissy smiled softly, as she nodded as well.

Lauren jumped in place while Demi returned. Selena shook her head.

"What should I draw?"

Lauren turned to Selena.

"How about a dragonfly?"

Demi grabbed her phone and searched for a dragonfly clipart. She then got comfortable and started drawing on Lauren's wrist. The little girl giggled.

Demi finished and sat back. Lauren looked at it and gasped. "I loves i'."

"You love it?"

Lauren nodded, her smile still on her face.

"Okay, eat Lo, before your mothers kill us," Selena said, pointing to the forgotten sandwich.

Chrissy gasped, her eyes wide. "No."

"It's a joke baby, we'll be fine," Demi told the scared girl, who let out a breath and nodded.

-

Lauren, Lucy and Hailee had returned to school. Lauren's speech had improved so much. Sydney and Chrissy were going to school with them, not comfortable for regular school, but wanting to get their GED.

They were two months into the school year, and Lauren had started a little tattoo shop. No one caught on, but Lauren was making buck.

She'd charge two dollars for every tattoo. The others, who were in their little minds, would pay for "tattoo" that would wash up. (Lucy and Hailee didn't need to pay, Lauren would do it for free. And Sydney and Chrissy never asked for one.)

Lauren had twenty-four dollars. It was her seventh day on the job, and four people had asked for a tattoo. Lauren nodded her head and told them that she would get to it.

With her pen, she went to her first customer, Melissa. She wanted a bike drawing on her arm, and she had a printed out picture of it.

Lauren studied the picture, before she started to draw.

After two more people, Lauren went to do her classwork. (Lauren would work on the tattoos while Brittany was helping other students.) The teacher walked to her desk (that she shared with her wives) and sat down next to her.

"Do you need help?"

"Yes please," Lauren responded, turning to the teacher. Her eyes then landed on a ladybug on her wrist. "Wha' dat?"

"This is a ladybug."

"It pwetty," Lauren told her, smiling. She then turned to her math work. "No 'stand."

"Okay, well you see this," Brittany started, as she explained the math problems to Lauren, who paid attention.

-

"What are you doing?"

Lauren froze mid like. She had been drawing a stick person on Dylan's arm.

"Not'ing?"

"I can see that Lauren. Are you drawing on people?"

"No, on'y Dylan," Lauren muttered, looking at the boy in front of her.

Dylan nodded.

"Lauren, I have received calls saying from the parents saying their kids have drawings on their arms."

"So?"

"Lauren, are you the drawer?"

"Yes."

"You do know I have to tell your mothers, right?"

"Yes," Lauren whispered, sighing. "I finis'?"

Brittany, who wasn't able to get Lauren to turn around, laughed. "Finish it, but then go back to your table and finish your work."

"'kay."

Once the drawing was finished, she went back to her table and sat between Lucy and Hailee, who were staring at her. "You 'kay Laurie?"

"Yes."

Hailee leaned over and kissed Lauren's cheek. "We love you."

Lauren grinned. "I love you an' Lucy."

Lucy kissed Lauren's lips.

"No kissing in my class," Brittany said, "that is done outside the classroom."

Lauren reached for Hailee and Lucy's hands and stood up.

"Not now, after class is over," Brittany said, shaking her head.

Lauren sat back down and pouted.

-

"Lauren Michelle, are you the reason all this kids have drawings on their arms?" Camila asked, crossing her arms over her chest. All four mothers were there to pick Lauren and Lucy up. (They were going to drop Lucy at Shawn's work.)

Lauren's eyes widened. "No?"

"Lauren," Ally scolded, causing the girl to crack.

"Yes. Auntie Demi teached me," Lauren said, looking down.

"Was it at least free?" Normani questioned, hugging the girl.

"Yes?"

Dinah blinked a few times. "What do you need money for?"

"I wanna 'ake Luce an' Haiz ou' an' pay," Lauren said, nodding her head, reaching into her pocket and taking out thirty-four dollars.

Dinah turned to Lucy and Hailee. "At least tell me she didn't charge you two."

Hailee shook her head. "No money."

"S'ecial," Lauren said, nodding her head. She turned to the two. "Wanna 'o ou'?"

Lucy grinned. "Yes."

"Lauren, you do know you have to return the money, right?" Ally said, looking at the girl.

Lauren pouted. "I wanna pay."

"We can give you money. But you have to return this money, okay?"

Lauren sighed, as she handed Normani the money.

"We still love you Ren," Hailee said, kissing Lauren's cheek, perking her back up.

Lauren grinned. "Date?"

Lucy nodded her head.


	96. Haucyren

 

Lauren walked to Normani. "Mama, I 'ake Luce and Haiz out, okay?"

"Where are you going to take them?"

Lauren frowned. "Eat?"

"You're going to take them out to eat?" Normani questioned.

Lauren nodded her head. "Yes. We eat."

"Do you know where?"

"No," Lauren huffed, sitting on the ground.

Normani shook her head at the girl. She watched as Lauren thought about a date plan.

"Whatever you do, they will love it. They love you."

"I love dem," Lauren whispered, looking up at Normani.

"Let's get you ready to surprise them, yeah?"

Lauren nodded her head as she pushed herself up. She followed Normani to her room and picked out her outfit for the day.

-

Anna opened the door, a frown on her face. She saw Lauren standing there with flowers in her hands.

"Did you and Hailee have plans for today?" Anna asked, looking at the little girl.

Lauren shook her head. "S'pise date."

"Oh, do you want me to call Hailee?"

"Yes please. I wan' s'pise 'er."

"She is going to be really surprised. Just give me a second."

Lauren nodded her head, as she started to hum.

Anna knocked on the door. She pushed it open and smiled at her daughter. Hailee was on her bed watching  _Finding Nemo_. Her arms wrapped around her stuffed Kiera. (Because Lauren had Nala, Lucy was given Simba and Hailee got Kiera.)

"Hi Mama," Hailee greeted, sitting up.

"Hey baby," Anna said, grinning, "I have a visitor for you."

Hailee frowned. "Who?"

"Why don't you go see?"

Hailee gave Kiera a kiss on the cheek and walked to the front door. Anna smiled when she heard Hailee's squeal and Lauren's giggling.

"Ren, wha're you doin' here?" Hailee asked, her eyes wide.

Lauren smiled. "Date? We 'et Luce too." The younger girl offered Hailee the flowers. The other girl took the flowers and kissed Lauren's cheek.

"Go get ready," Anna said, shaking her head.

Hailee ran to get dressed. Lauren just giggled. Anna shook her head with a smile.

-

Shawn opened the door and smiled when he saw his daughter's wives.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, smiling.

"We 'ake Luce out. I do s'pise date," Lauren said, proud of herself.

Shawn smiled. "She's asleep, if you want to go surprise her."

Hailee gave him a shy smile. "Thank you."

Shawn opened his arms. "Give me a hug."

Hailee giggled as she walked into his arms. She let out a laugh when he gave her a tight hug.

"'e's go," Lauren called out, excited to wake Lucy up.

Shawn let Hailee go and watched as the two girls ran to Lucy's room. They silently opened the door and crept inside.

"Lucy," Lauren whispered, poking the girl's cheek.

Lucy let out a whimper and moved. But she didn't wake up.

"Lucy, up," Lauren said, pushing her shoulder.

"No," Lucy whined, shaking her head.

"Lucy, i' me Lolo an' Haiz."

That caused Lucy to open her eyes. "Laurie, Hail, hi."

"S'pise," Lauren greeted, extending her hand with the flowers in them. Lucy took it and smelled the flowers.

"Wan' go date?" Lauren asked, her eyes shining.

Lucy nodded her head. She stood up and went to get ready.

-

Lucy looked around in awe. The three girls were in a secluded part of the park. Surrounded by trees. Lauren was leading them to a certain spot.

"Dere," Lauren called out, pointing to the small clearing. There was a small blanket on the ground and a basket. "Mommy leave dere."

Lucy smiled, and let Lauren pull her and Hailee to the blanket. Lauren sat down and opened the basket. She looked inside.

"We eat?"

"Let's eat," Hailee said, smiling. She kissed Lauren's cheek, who perked up. Lauren took out the different plates and started to organize everything on her own.

Lauren didn't touch her food until she was sure the other two girls had their own food. They were making jokes. Sharing food. The food was gone very quickly, and the three girls were left with just each other.

Lucy told the girls a story. Hailee was smiling while she listened. Lauren was enthralled by the story. Her eyes never left Lucy while the other girl told the story.

"The end," Lucy said, grinning.

"No," Lauren pouted, not wanting the story to end. She sighed and turned to Hailee. "S'owy please."

Hailee smiled. She started to tell a story. Lauren gasped when the story took a turn.

Lauren laid on the ground and smiled when Lucy and Hailee curled up at her side. "I love you."

Both girls reached up and kissed Lauren's cheeks. "I love you too," they both said, smiling.

Lauren closed her eyes. "I happy wit' you. I happy here."

"We're happy you're in our lives."

"We love you very much."

A smile appeared on Lauren's face.

Lucy turned to Hailee who was staring at Lauren with pure love in her eyes. Lucy reached over and held Hailee's hand. Lucy placed her head on Lauren's shoulder.

"I'm happy, here. With both of you."

Hailee kissed the top of Lucy's head, before placing her head on Lauren's other shoulder.

Lucy looked up at the cloudy sky, a smile on her face. She could feel Lauren's chest rise up and down at an even pace. Closing her eyes, she followed Lauren to sleep.

-

Hailee jumped up in fear when she felt someone shake her. She looked around, before seeing her aunts Camila and Dinah standing over them.

"Hey, it's just us. We want to take you girls home," Dinah said, smiling softly.

Hailee looked over to see Camila gently shaking Lucy.

"Lucy, hey, it's time to go home," the singer whispered.

Lucy slowly opened her eyes and let out a yawn. "Hi Aunt Mila."

"Hey Lucy, your dads are waiting at home with Normani. Ally is waiting at the car," Camila responded, helping Lucy up. The other girl stood up up, letting Dinah to pick up Lauren. The younger girl let out a whine and curled up against Dinah.

Picking up their things, they all started to walk to the car. Buckled up, Lucy asked the question in her head.

"You let us sleep in the park alone?"

"Of course not," Ally said, shaking her head. "I was there the entire time. I checked on you every so often. I wouldn't let you girls get hurt."

Hailee smiled. She held Lauren and Lucy's hands on the drive home.

"I get to plan the next date," Hailee said, turning to Lucy who was awake.

"I can't wait," Lucy said, smiling.

Lauren squeezed her hand in her sleep.

Hailee couldn't wait.


	97. Batter Up

 

Lauren rubbed Lucy's shoulder while the girl wiped her tears. Hailee was glaring at Dinah and Naya who were talking to Shawn. She could see the embarrassed looks on Camila and Heather's faces.

She sighed, catching Becca's eye. The other girl shakes her head, giving Lauren a small smile.

-

_Two Days Before_

"Let your parents know about the annual softball game we hold here," Brittany told the kids, who all got excited. Hailee had explained to Lauren, Lucy, Chrissy and Sydney about the event. Hailee was excited about participating for the first time.

"W-we haves food an' we haves g-games an' we g-get candy, an' mama an' mommy play an' I haves fun," Hailee gushed, jumping on her seat.

Lucy and Lauren stared at her with a grin on their faces. Both girls kissed Hailee's cheeks at the same time.

Hailee blushed and stared at her hands.

"S'eep my 'ouse?" Lauren asked, grinning at her wives.

They both nodded.

-

_Beginning of the Day_

"So you're the captain of Lauren's team?" Camila asked, smiling at Dinah.

The taller girl nodded, a grin on her face.

"Who's the captain of the other team?" the singer questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I am," a voice answered behind her. Camila and Dinah turned to see Naya standing there.

Dinah stood up and glared at the other woman. "You're going down."

Naya smirked. "Really? I think  _you're_ going down."

Dinah huffed. "Yeah, sure. You and your group of losers?"

Lauren frowned. "Mama, no."

Dinah gave her a smile, "Sorry, I forgot Lucy was in her team."

Lauren pouted. Unfortunately Becca has picked Lucy for her team before Lauren could. (Lauren had picked Hailee first after getting the okay from Lucy because they didn't want Hailee to panic.)

Lauren sighed and walked away, not wanting to listen to Naya and Dinah argue.

Hailee ran to Lauren, Lucy behind her.

"Renny! Look!" She gushed, as she opened her hands, showing Lauren a ladybug she found.

Lauren grinned, reaching in to pet the ladybug. She turned to Lucy with a small smile. "Ma c'azy."

Lucy and Hailee both nodded, knowing that it was true.

Lauren reached for her wives and brought them to the picnic table. Ally and Diana were in charge of food. Lauren got Lucy and Hailee to sit down before running off to get them their food.

"T'anks Lo," Lucy told her, grinning.

Lauren nodded, grabbing her burger. "Love wives," Lauren told them.

"Love you," Hailee responded, leaning over to kiss Lauren's cheeks. The girl looked up and grinned, before turning to her food.

-

"I li'e," Lauren said, pointing to Lucy's green shirt.

Lucy looked down and grinned. "Eyes."

"Lauren, Hailee, lets go," Dinah called, getting both girls to walk to her

Lauren and Hailee kissed Lucy's cheeks before walking towards Dinah.

Lauren grabbed the bat first, looking at her mother. Dinah was the coach for the blue team, with Normani pitching. Blake, Jacob, Britt, Sydney, Chrissy, Hailee and Lauren (the blue captain) were all in the same team, leaving Lucy, Melissa, Grant, Dylan, Willa, Ben and Becca (the green captain) in the other, with Naya as Coach and Demi pitching.

Blue team was batting first. Brittany was going to keep score while Shawn was the umpire.

"Just like we practiced," Dinah told her, showing the kids the list of the order they were going bat in.

Lauren went to stand over the base with the bat and looked at Demi.

"Let's play ball!" Shawn shouted, a grin on his face.

"That's my baby!" Austin called out, clapping his hands, getting the others to laugh.

"Ready Lo?" Demi asked, getting a nod back.

"Watch my team kick your team's butt," Dinah told Naya, who gave a glare back.

Demi pitched the ball, and Lauren swung.

It was a strike.

Dinah tossed her clipboard to the ground.

-

0-0

Neither team was winning. Neither team was losing. Dinah and Naya were still talking crap to each other.

Lauren looked around the field.

Jacob was at first base, Blake was at third. Britt was at second base and Sydney at shortstop. Chrissy was on the right field. Lauren was in the center field, watching everyone.

Hailee was in the side of the field trying to grab a butterfly she found. Lauren couldn't help but smile. She looked over to see Lucy watching her as well.

She looked back to see Normani pitch the ball. Demi was chosen as the catcher.

"Hailee, pay attention!" Dinah called out, causing the skittish girl to jump in fear. Lauren glared at her mother from her position.

"Dinah, calm down," Camila scolded, shaking her head.

"Naya can't win," Dinah whined, pouting.

"I don't care. Don't scream to Hailee again," Camila told her wife, giving the scared girl a small smile.

Lauren nodded and looked back to the game where Melissa as batting. Normani gently tossed the ball and Melissa swung, missing it completely.

"Strike!" Austin called, grabbing the ball to throw back.

"Damn it Melissa, keep an eye on the ball!" Naya told the girl, who stared back at Naya with wide eyes.

"Sowwy," she whispered, turning back to Normani.

"Naya, don't be a b-i-t-c-h," Heather told her wife.

Four mothers turned to their child, while Lauren frowned. She had started spelling, and she was trying to learn the bad words.

"Bish!" Lauren shouted, looking proud. "Ma! Bish!"

"Let's keep playing!"

Melissa raised the bat again, getting ready to swing.

"You better not miss Melissa, don't make our team lose," Naya told the girl, who froze.

Normani shook her head and tossed the ball. Melissa closed her eyes and swung, hitting the ball. Naya fist pumped.

Melissa only made it to first base. Lucy walked to home base and grabbed the bat. She looked at Normani with trembling hands. Once in position, Normani tossed the ball.

Lucy missed.

"Strike one!"

"Get it right Lucy!"

Shawn glared at Naya. "Be nice."

"She has screwed the game for us! We could have been winning!"

"Shud up!" Lauren shouted, running to Lucy. She wrapped her arms around the older girl who was starting to cry.

Hailee ran after her while the other kids formed a small circle around the crying girl.

"Okay, Dinah, Naya, can I talk to you?" Shawn snapped.

Lauren looked at the dugout and saw Becca watching her. She mouthed " _Sorry._ "

Lauren turned back to the two mothers.

Dinah looked scolded, as did Naya. Shawn shook his head.

"This isn't fun for them, put your rivalry aside for them," Shawn told them, "you're ruining the day for them. It's suppose to be for  _them_. And if you make Lucy or any other kid cry, we are all banning you form family days. Am I clear?"

Dinah nodded her head. "I'm sorry kids, I don't know what got over me."

Naya nodded. "Me too. Do you think we can have another game, and just have fun?"

Lauren and Becca exchanged looks. A small nod. "Okay."

Dinah and Naya nodded.

"Camila and Heather will be the coaches this time. You two can join the teams, but play nice."

With a small nod, the two went to join their respective teams with the new coaches stepping forward.

This time the game went smoothly with no tears.


End file.
